The Guiding Force
by angelslaugh
Summary: The Force needed another champion, and the one it created is the one that will have to do. Fem!Force Sensitive!(Slightly)Overpowered!Naruto/Itachi. No chakra.
1. Chapter 1

**...I should _not_ be writing this. I have a bunch of other stroy projects going on... But... Eh, I wrote it. Can't say I regret it. If I did, it would be a lie.**

 **Yes, this is a Naruto/Star Wars crossover. Yes, it's ItaNaru. Elements of the shinobi world will appear, but chakra will not. Sorry!**

 **Side note: Naruto, Anakin, and Itachi are central to the plot. Everyday life will NOT be written down most of the time; there will be time skips, but really the only major ones are between the Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Yes, this takes place during the prequels. I couldn't really find another place to start this story and have it work, but I finally did~ Flames will be ignored.**

 **I'm female, so I OBVIOUSLY don't own either Star Wars or Naruto.**

 **(Yes, Naruto is overpowered in this story. The reason will be explained later.)**

 **~:~**

Anakin Skywalker and Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto sucked at mechanics, but she understood droids. Anakin loved mechanics and understood droids. Naruto excelled at being the cutest little seller of items - even to aliens who disliked humans and bounty hunters whose hearts were practically ice shards.

She'd somehow made friends with an indulgent Jango Fett. Not even Watto could understand that.

Ever since Watto had bought Anakin and Shmi, Naruto had become their third family member. An orphan, the young slave had two cute furry ears positioned several inches above human ones and a cute little tail that was orange and tipped in white. Three whisker marks marred her otherwise cute face.

She was a year younger than Anakin, and she loved running. The Tatooine heat never bothered her. She had an inner charm that endeared everyone to her, young or old, human or not human... Sebulba was the exception. He always ran the other way when he saw the blonde girl.

 _"Oi, boy! Naruto! We got customers!"_

Naruto ran into the shop.

"Hello!" she said in Galactic Basic. "Whatcha lookin' for!"

"He's looking for a Nubian hyperdrive, and he wants to pay credits!" Watto scoffed.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, switching to Toydarian flawlessly.

 _"You just want to make things difficult for him, don't you? You could always go to the pub and_ trade _the credits,"_ Naruto pointed out.

Watto gave her a Toydarian smirk. _"He's a Jedi."_

Instantly Naruto went red and dived behind the counter.

Anakin sighed. "Sorry about her. She's dumb. Girls are all dumb."

"I'm not dumb!" Naruto whacked Anakin with a screwdriver. "I'm just -" Naruto eyed the guy again and blushed again. Jedi always fascinated her, and meeting one while she was covered in oil was _not_ how she pictured herself. She ducked behind the counter again.

"Republic credits aren't used here," Anakin explained. "Only in pubs."

"I understand; is there anyway we can get the credits needed to buy the hyperdrive?" the Jedi asked curiously.

Naruto thought about it, then switched to Toydarian, peeking over the counter again. _"What about the race?"_

 _"You know Mom said no!"_ Anakin looked more than a little upset.

 _"To_ you. _She can't say no to me."_ Naruto gave him a foxy-looking smirk.

Anakin facepalmed. _"You want me to injure you on the day of the race, don't you?"_

Naruto shrugged, smiling still. _"Who knows? I heard Jango's in town. I can get him to bet on you."_

Anakin's jaw dropped as Naruto skipped out the back.

"YOU'RE CRAZY!" He yelled after her. "Watto will kill you!"

Watto looked at her. " _What will I kill you for now?"_

 _"What if I could make Anakin win the Boonta Eve race? Bet on him. I can get some of the bounty hunters I know to bet on Anakin, have him win, and you get 25 percent of the winnings."_ Watto gave her a Toydarian grin again.

 _"If I get 25 percent, I'll free Shmi and give the Nubian part to the Jedi. And ONLY if Anakin wins,"_ the Toydarian warned.

Naruto beamed, racing back into the shop.

 _"He said yes! He'll free your mom AND give the Nubian part to the Jedi,"_ Naruto revealed.

Anakin stared at her.

Then he turned to the Jedi. "You'll have to stay until tomorrow if you want that Nubian piece."

Naruto nodded. "He can stay with us. Your mom always likes it when there's more people over."

"We're telling her it's Watto's idea," Anakin grumbled. "Are you _sure_ he's going to be at the race?"

Naruto beamed. "Aurra told me he would!"

Anakin groaned. "She creeps me out."

"I'll see you later!" Naruto said, racing out of the shop.

~:~

Jango Fett was in a cantina, drinking _alone,_ when a person slid across from him.

Looking up, the bounty hunter saw the face of his fiercest adversary: the blonde girl.

"What do you want?" the bounty hunter asked.

"Bet on Anakin Skywalker tomorrow and give Watto 25 percent of your winnings, and I guarantee you'll only be sharing the amount you get with Aurra Sing," Naruto said.

He'd been considering Sebulba, but the girl usually made him change his plans. Everything she did usually worked out in the end.

"What about Sebulba? Second?"

A steely glint came in Naruto's eyes.

"I guarantee there won't be a second or third place," the young child said softly.

Jango shrugged.

"Okay."

He put his helmet on and stood up.

"And what if you lose?" Jango dared.

Naruto smiled, and a hint of red swam in her eyes. "Oh, don't worry, Jango." She stood as well. "I won't."

He believed her.

~:~

Naruto helped Anakin when she came home, the work going much faster. The idiot Gungan numbed his tongue in the wires, and Naruto settled down that night to pray.

 _Please, galaxy. Please let Anakin win._

She remained outside, long after everyone had gone to bed.

Early dawn started to show, and the Jedi came out. His name, as she'd found out with the others, was Qui-Gon Jinn.

"You know, I understand Toydarian." His voice was amused.

"That's nice," Naruto replied, alert and awake. She never needed much sleep.

"If he wins the race, the pod will be Watto's... But you and Anakin will be free." Naruto turned to stare at him. He gave her a smile. "I couldn't use your mother."

"She's already free if Ani wins," Naruto replied with a smile. "Watto never goes back on his word. I have seen that. He honors it."

"You can see the future?" Qui-Gon asked, settling down beside her.

Naruto shook her head. "I... Don't know how to explain it. I can _feel_ Ani's going to win."

"Ah. I see." He sounded as if he _did_ understand. Naruto smiled. "How long have you been enslaved?" Qui-Gon shook his head, but before he could take it back, Naruto answered him.

"I don't know. I don't remember anything under the age of three besides Watto's shop." Naruto didn't sound wistful; she was factual. "Thank you," Naruto said, suddenly. Qui-Gon looked surprised. "You know, he was probably going to let you free us anyway. He knows you're a Jedi."

Qui-Gon smiled at her, and Naruto almost hit herself. _He was in the room when Watto said that._

The young slave waited.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto, the entire time, was watching the screens in the crowd.

True to her prediction, nobody had bet on the human, Sebulba being the most likely.

But Aurra, Jango, and Watto had bet on Anakin, and that made all the difference.

When Anakin had passed the finish line, alone, without anyone behind him... Naruto jumped up and shouted, in Galactic Basic, "YES! GO, ANAKIN! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" amidst the silence of the arena.

The announcer announced Anakin's name as the winner.

And nobody but Watto, Jango, and Aurra were happy.

Naruto beamed.

~:~

"I seem to recall you saying _one_ thing, not two," said an amused Obi-Wan as Qui-Gon jumped onto the ship.

"Technically, Qui-Gon owns us," Naruto said, drawing Obi-Wan's _and_ Qui-Gon's attention. She grinned sheepishly. "I paid off a friend of mine to take Shmi to get the best care."

"Is that why you came back with only jogans?" Anakin asked, looking resigned. "Who was it, Jango or Aurra?"

"Both!" Naruto beamed. "He offered to take me, but then I pointed out that Qui-Gon is our master now until our chips are out." She smiled at the stunned Jedi.

"Well, Master," Obi-Wan smirked. "I'm not explaining this to the Council."

Qui-Gon just sighed.

~:~

"It's nice to meet you, Artoo," Naruto replied to the droid. "You're like Threepio that Ani brought with him. Don't worry, you'll get along." She glanced at the pessimistic protocol droid. "Or... Maybe not. He's an idiot."

"Are you going to keep your friendship with that bounty hunter?" asked Anakin, stopping everyone in their tracks.

Naruto shrugged. "They're nicer than most. Aurra and Jango actualy have a code."

"Why do you get all the bounty hunter friends, anyway?" Anakin frowned.

"Because I am _adorable,"_ Naruto said in a factual tone. "That's what Jango said, anyway."

Anakin slammed his head on the table, then rubbed it. "Ugh, you're lucky."

"Not really. I just happen to be lovable," Naruto replied absently, taking out a communicator as it beeped. Anakin's left eye twitched as Naruto poked a button and a hologram appeared.

"Everything's been done." Jango Fett's voice was eerie in a hologram.

"Thanks, Jango! I'll call you if I need anything, and you better call me if you need anything," the chipper girl said.

Jango waved his hand. "I have to go, kid. See you around, possibly."

Naruto waved and the communicator went silent.

Naruto sighed. Anakin patted her back.

There was a lull.

Then, "Why didn't you pay them to get _our_ chips out?"

"Because I only had 500 credits!"

~:~

The Jedi Council eyed the two children. The little girl was projecting her calm to her brother, who was looking around in curiosity.

"Perhaps it would be best to go forward with the testing," suggested Mace Windu, taking out a holopad.

Before the first image was on it, there was a tiny disturbance in the Force, coming from the girl. A cup appeared on the screen, and both children answered at the same time.

"Cup."

~:~

Qui-Gon was nervous. He hadn't yet broken the news to the Council about them _technically_ being his slaves (nor did he want to). He happened upon Obi-Wan chating with another Padawan, Quinlan Vos.

"-and Naruto goes, 'we're _technically_ Qui-Gon's slaves'. You should have heard the silence," Obi-Wan snickered.

"How did the Council take it?" Quinlan asked, a smirk on his face.

"I haven't told them," Qui-Gon said, sighing as they jumped away from each other guiltily. "Obi-Wan, you're coming with me back into the Council room."

~:~

The two children stood there, calm as anything.

"You're not afraid," Mace finally observed after the testing was completed.

"Why should we be?" Naruto asked, tilting her head. "No matter what we do, we're still in the service of Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Yep," Anakin said cheerfully. "We can't be too far from him."

"Why not?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

"We'll blow up," Anakin said lightly. "Like, _boom._ He forgot to take our chips out."

Naruto clarified it all. "Okay, so we were slaves on Tatooine - because there's slavery, you know, in the Outer Rim - and all slaves get chip things that totally blow up when there's a certain distance between us and our master, and our old master, Watto, gave Qui-Gon the chip blow-upper even though Watto _knew_ he was a Jedi, but believe me his saber wasn't visible, it's just anyone who wears homespun robes like that on a planet like _Tatooine_ is either a Jedi or a sentient pretending as one. Even on _Tatooine_ Jedi are infamous - oh, and Jedi mind tricks don't work on Toydarians because they're not total dumbasses, you know?" Naruto drew in a deep breath, then plunged on. "Speaking of total dumbasses -"

"Naruto." Anakin slapped his sister figure upside the head. The girl's bandanna (that covered her furry ears) moved a little. _"Stop. Talking."_

"But why, Ani? That Gungan has that strange feeling everyone here gives, I'm just doing the galaxy a favor and telling the Jedi all about why they shouldn't send such a dumbass Gungan Jedi!" Naruto pouted a little.

"The Gungan is Force-sensitive?" asked Luminara Unduli, eyes narrowing a little. "More than that, you can sense us differently than you can normal sentients?"

"Uh... No idea what the 'Force' is," Naruto said, frowning a little, "but it's like this. Imagine everyone in the galaxy being either the color 'white' or the color 'black', and the background is a shade of 'grey'. Now imagine bright spots of color appearing in that area, whether its pink or red. All of you are the 'colors', while Watto was a 'white' kind of person," Naruto explained, as best she could. "The Gungan is 'fuzzy blue', and most of you are different colors. But you're clearer." She frowned. "I think I'm orange, and Ani is... Blue."

The girl beamed.

Luminara simply stared at the child, along with most of the council.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright~ Here we are! Her name is 'Naruto', guys - not 'Naruko'. Sorry, but that's it. Not changing her name.**

 **Also... This is a Star Wars and Naruto crossover. I put it under those two categories. How is it in the wrong category?**

 **Not a guy, so I don't own Star Wars or Naruto.**

 **~:~**

Jar-Jar Binks was surprised when he apparently got all the questions right in front of the great Jedi council. They looked highly dismayed at this revelation.

Qui-Gon, the human he owed a life debt to, looked suddenly very tired at having to deal with four Force-sensitive 'children'.

~"~

Gungans lived for a long while, Qui-Gon knew, but he wasn't sure if he could teach Jar-Jar much other than the basics; and if he was put in a class with younglings, Qui-Gon doubted he'd stay without getting some people complaining.

So he went down to the Temple library, set Obi-Wan with Anakin and Naruto, and informed Jar-Jar just _why_ he couldn't be trained as a fully-fledged Jedi. Instead, Jar-Jar would be taught how to use the Force; perhaps not in combat, but to let the Force guide him.

There was little else Qui-Gon could do, other than that.

(The teachings of his own master never exactly covered what to do when he had an adult Gungan and was supposed to help him harness the Force, after all.)

Jar-Jar was accepting of that.

Qui-Gon got down to the basics.

~:~

The Force was _awesome._ Anakin loved knowing what it could do. Naruto, too, looked interested in it.

Then Obi-Wan started talking about the Galaxy, and how in almost every species there was a Force sensitive being.

And that's when Naruto popped the question.

"What species am I?"

She looked worried.

Obi-Wan stopped and bit his lip.

"I'd say you came from the planet Alderaan, child," an older woman said, gazing down at Naruto. "There's about a hundred tribes in the Great Forests of Alderaan, after all. Most of them are like you, although with different looks." She paused. "Would you like to see?"

Indecision warred on Naruto's face. Anakin felt a bit sad for her - although his mother didn't say where _he_ was born, he'd always thought of Tatooine as 'home', even though he knew he'd been sold by Zygerrians. It was different for Naruto; Watto's junk shop on Tatooine was the only place she'd ever known.

"No," Naruto said at last. "No, I think - I think I'm fine."

~:~

The Senate building was far bigger than anything Naruto had seen before. It awed her.

"This is the biggest, roundest building I have _ever_ seen," Naruto blurted, ignoring the looks from the older man. Naruto got the clearest sense of 'redredredred' and the whole 'danger' vibe went with that, unlike the other guy who had attacked Qui-Gon on the way to the Nubian. Naruto hadn't really paid much attention to that. "And it's - wow, it's _blue!_ I didn't know buildings could be _blue!"_

"I've seen square buildings," Anakin blurted. "Red square buildings."

"Really?" Naruto thought back. "Oh, right." She bit her lip. But then - "Wow, that's what the Nubian ship looks like from the top?! Way too blinding! How hot is it today?" she wondered.

"Not as hot as Tatooine. They only have one sun," Anakin said in slight disappointment. He thought Tatooine was hot, sure, but he missed the dual suns. And Naruto -

"No _wonder_ it's freezing!" Naruto cried out.

\- Naruto was practically freezing to death.

"This is _hot_ weather on Coruscant," Obi-Wan pointed out.

Naruto and Anakin gave him flat looks.

"Tatooine has _twin_ suns, and I'm pretty sure my DNA doesn't allow me to change my preference to 'a single sun that a hyperdrive can't be charged on'," Naruto sassed.

"That would be sooo cool!" Anakin gasped. "If you could change how you look - not that there's anything _wrong_ with the way you look, I'm just saying it would make a great disguise!"

Naruto nodded. "I wonder if there's a race that can do that! It would be so easy to change my ears!" She smoothed her bandanna down. The impolite Senators in the docking cab looked to the sides of her head to see human ear on her head. "Honestly, though, I wonder how some races manage two sets of ears."

"You're just lucky to be able to filter sounds out. I wished I could do that," Anakin grumbled.

Naruto patted him on the back. "It's also very painful in a bustling metropolis like this. Ooh! I finally used _bustling!"_ She grinned at herself.

"It's kind of amusing when you get all happy about such childish things," Anakin said dryly. "Let's just hope we're not entering a place that has echoes."

Before Qui-Gon could say that they _were,_ they'd left with the Senators; Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had to go back to the Temple for another meeting with the Masters about the whole slave thing. Luckily, Naruto had showed him how to extend the length of the distance that they could travel without being blown up, or the Senate would've had two exploded ex-slaves to clean up.

~:~

Senator Kushina Namikaze glared at her husband.

"I _told_ you that coming here would be a pain," Minato told her feebly.

"The Trade Federation is illegally blockading Naboo," their main Senator said. "We are allies with Naboo."

Kushina's Clawdite husband nodded and glanced at his furious wife. He'd lost his own ability to shapeshift back into his species' original reptilian form after crash-landing on Naboo. Kushina honestly loved him, though it was her private hope he'd stay in the human form. Minato knew that and felt quite at home in his human shape.

"Kushina, perhaps you should focus less on being 'angry' and more on 'calming down'. I realize you hate being in the Senate, but really - use your human ones instead, it will help," he insisted.

Kushina's aqua eyes flashed red for a moment before she closed them, nodding and silently doing as asked. Her fox ears pressed against her head, and she was ready.

Minato joined Bail Organa and his wife in the pod, slipping a glance at the Naboo pod - then doing a double-take.

The Senator of Naboo had two children in his pod, along with an elegant woman who was clearly the Queen. But it wasn't the woman who caught his eyes.

"Kushina!"

Kushina glanced at her husband.

"Is it me, or does the girl in that pod look like _me?"_ Minato questioned, dead serious.

Kushina looked over, and her mouth opened slightly.

Then she tapped Bail on the shoulder. "We're backing the Naboo people."

Her tone was enough to make Bail swallow; Minato knew there was something more going on than just Kushina _knowing_ the child was probably her daughter; the people who lived in the Great Forest of Alderaan were known as Alterians, as their only city was named Altheria. The Alterians were a highly Force-sensitive species. Minato was not, but he believed his wife. Plus, the kid had a fox tail near the exact same shade as Kushina's, so... Yeah, Minato believed the kid was his daughter.

He would follow Kushina's lead.


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto kept her fox ears against her head and only winced minimally at the echo-y room; when they returned to the carpeted hallway, Naruto realized she had no idea what was going on with the Queen, and Anakin snorted when she asked him, in a hushed voice, "What is going on?"

"The Queen called a vote of no confidence in the current chancellor," Anakin whispered back.

Naruto winced. "Oh, that must have been painful. Sorry, the echo was getting on my nerves, so I couldn't listen."

"Yeah, I get it. This wasn't even a full Senate session; they're holding one tomorrow." Naruto raised an eyebrow. Anakin nodded.

Naruto shook her head, getting a feeling. "I think if we don't leave now, something bad's going to happen."

Anakin's face changed to complete seriousness.

"Is it a _feeling?"_ he emphasized.

"Yep." Naruto nodded solemnly.

Anakin coughed and tugged on the nearest handmaiden's dress. "Excuse me, miss? I need to contact a Jedi named Qui-Gon -"

"He's here," Naruto interrupted, eyes fixed on the door ahead of her.

Anakin nodded and apologized to the handmaiden. "Sorry."

They entered the room, and Naruto instantly appealed to the Jedi.

"If we don't go to Naboo _now_ , something bad's going to happen," she said, making all activity cease. "It's like when Anakin won the race."

Qui-Gon's face changed from careful indulgence to seriousness. He nodded and approached the queen, speaking in low terms.

Naruto's gums ached a little as she ground her teeth together in worry.

Anakin bumped her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. The Queen's probably not going to listen to a child, but they'll listen to Qui-Gon definitely."

Naruto nodded, reassured. The Queen glanced at her from around Qui-Gon, then nodded to the Jedi master.

Qui-Gon walked back. "We're headed to Naboo. Ready?"

The two nodded instantly. Naruto didn't smile; she was too scared for that.

Her eyes met the Senator's, and for a full ten seconds Naruto could _clearly_ see the red all around him. It wasn't just a 'sense', it was a full on _visible_ color.

Naruto dropped her eyes, feeling dizzy. She realized she was shaking. Such _evil..._ Naruto shuddered.

~:~

Anakin was kind of worried. Naruto had left sands and heat and a place to call home to coldness and a place she _couldn't_ call home. Her mind was her enemy, and Anakin knew she'd seen something in the queen's temporary chambers.

They were back on the Nubian, and Naruto was sitting in the middle of the floor, her eyes closed and trying to understand what she'd seen.

Anakin thought of the calm he'd felt in the council room, stood up, and placed one of his hands on hers.

And there it was. Pushing through her, relaxing through her, and as Anakin placed his other hand on her other, she fed it back to him, more calm than before. Anakin sat down and continued the process until it was automatic.

When Obi-Wan entered the room, on orders to teach the two how to meditate, it was to a room of flowing calm. The Force seemed to center in these two children; flowing through them and making an almost physical impression on the Padawan.

Qui-Gon seemed much more interested in teaching Naruto things, and Obi-Wan could see himself guiding Anakin through the learning process if he needed it now; as if the Force was whispering to him.

He sat down, close to, but not too close, to the two.

There was a break in the flow as Anakin removed one of his hands from Naruto's, and set it on his knee. Naruto's remained curled and open, and hesitantly Obi-Wan grasped their hands.

It started out simply sending calm, but then -

Joy bubbled up, and Naruto seemed to send it to them with the flow of calm circulating between the three, and it was not long before the joy swelled to overshadow the calm.

And then the three were laughing, the feel of the joy getting to be too much.

Qui-Gon opened the door, a smile on his face.

"Ready?" he asked the still-laughing trio.

They sobered up as they got ready to leave. But the effects of the triangle remained.

~:~

Naruto still had that bad feeling, but it was lighter now. She opted to help with taking over the castle, and sneakily made the range of their separation from Qui-Gon system-wide. Of course, in a cycle it would short-circuit, but Anakin needed the length.

Obviously, he was going to do something stupid, just like Naruto.

When the door opened, Qui-Gon ordered them to hide.

Instead, Naruto _ran toward the man with the dual lightsabers._

Amplifying her abilities with the feeling of the Force, Naruto beamed as she ran _faster,_ ducking under the dual blades just in time, then leaping onto his back.

Naruto placed her hands on the man's unguarded neck, then did the stupidest - yet the one thing that saved Qui-Gon's life - thing _ever._ She _pushed_ the joy and calm into the guy with the red color.

She couldn't save the Senator's redness, and she didn't think a single 'push' of emotions could do the same to a guy who was a _thin_ red; this guy had holes, and Naruto knew that holes could be widened and patched.

She patched up a 'hole' in the redness with green; not necessarily _her_ color. It was just a 'good' color.

The guy's lightsaber fell and retracted as Naruto fed the guy emotions, then she leaped off of him, grabbed his lightsaber with her tail, and ignited the double blades.

Power surged under her fingertips, and as it did, she got bombarded with the images of _what would have happened._

With a cry, Naruto flung the lightsaber over her head, the blades deactivating.

The man was unconscious; Qui-Gon walked over to him and frowned.

"I have no idea how we're going to get him back to the Temple," he said.

"I can feed him different 'good' emotions," Naruto offered. "Or annoy him to the point of unconsciousness." She picked up his blade. "Either way, I'm sure you can help Her Highness while I watch over him."

Obi-Wan bit his lip. "If there's anyone good at taking down a Dark Sider, it's her, Master," he pointed out, a small smirk on his lips. Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice in friendly exasperation.

"No longer such a stickler for the Code?" he asked Obi-Wan.

"I might've needed a press in the right direction," Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon sighed, but nodded at the child. "Watch over him on the ship. Obi-Wan, stay with her."

Obi-Wan nodded at his master.

~:~

Hauling the dark sider was harder than it looked - in the end, Obi-Wan had to resort to using the Force to lift him up.

He set the Dark Sider in Naruto's and Anakin's room on the Nubian, then went to check on the flight. Naruto started to talk, idly looking over the Dark Sider's weapon.

"It's beautiful," she admitted. "But you broke it." It seemed to cry out to her, and she itched to take it apart. To heal. But she refrained from doing so, simply out of respect for how he'd made it. "I guess I can't do much without your permission. You killed a lot of Jedi, and yet I'm thinking of asking your permission to heal your lightsaber." She looked up to see his eyes on her. "Oh, you're awake! What world do you come from?"

The Dark Sider male simply stared at her. He moved his hands and Naruto moved the lightsaber and placed her thumb very gently on the trigger.

If she put any more pressure on it, then the blade would extend and kill him.

Naruto's eyes were, unknown to her, a deep violet.

The male set his hands down, aware of the imminent threat.

~:~

When they reached Coruscant, the Dark Sider brought a flurry of activity; with binders making his arms go behind his back and their obvious design of shocking the person, it was no wonder all sorts of sentient beings down at the bottom of the Temple walkway spoke loudly and eagerly about the Jedi bringing someone in like a criminal.

Naruto hovered at the back, ready to race in and shove the emotion thing at him again as council masters shielded their prisoner from view.

He did try to break out, but Naruto held onto the lightsaber with pure stubbornness. When it activated, Naruto was careful to shut it off. The masters definitely kept eyes on her as she walked with the red saber, but didn't try to take it from her.

She did, however, give it to Master Yoda when he waited for her to catch up with them.

"Give off a color, did he?" questioned the little green master.

"Red... But patchy. I don't think he's ever going to join the Light, but if he's patched he should be considered less of a danger," she offered. Master Yoda hummed, looking over the lightsaber.

"Fix the crystals, you should," the little master said, handing it back to her.

"It's his lightsaber, though," Naruto replied, confused.

"Using it again, he will not be," Master Yoda replied.

Naruto bowed her head, staring at the double-bladed saber.


	5. Chapter 5

**So... I was writing, okay? And sick. Like really sick. That's why I haven't updated.**

 **First glimpse of Itachi! No, he's not mentioned by name.**

 **Also - one point. I might add a few chapters here and there about Itachi and some of the people Naruto surrounds herself with. There are multiple OCs but they are NOT major characters.**

 **And that's pretty much it! Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **~angelslaugh**

 **~:~**

ONE YEAR (After Phantom Menace)

Obi-Wan chased the two Padawans through the temple, one of them being his own.

Globs of wet cooking flour covered the Jedi Knight from head to toe, and from experience, everyone knew to back out of the way when Obi-Wan was the butt of their pranks.

"ANAKIN SKYWALKER, NARUTO UZUMAKI, _GET BACK HERE!"_

The two stood at the end of the hallway, and Mace Windu appeared before them.

They vanished before Obi-Wan got there, and Windu turned to Obi-Wan, looking somber.

"Obi-Wan, have you seen your fellow Knight Itachi?"

Obi-Wan paused, vaguely recalling the name of the person and who he was.

"Not for a few years, no," he answered after a moment.

Windu looked kind of relieved. "Recently, the very memory of his presence has vanished from Master Yoda's memory; Itachi has that ability. Master Yoda only knew because of the gaps in his memory."

Obi-Wan frowned. "So we have to be on the lookout for gaps in memory?"

Windu nodded. "Unfortunately, I don't think sending Jedi after him. He was expelled from the Order; he was using the Dark Side, and Master Yoda made that decision. Keep an ear out for his name, try to apprehend him if you can, but never alone."

Obi-Wan nodded, perplexed, but he didn't question the master's orders.

"And I'd suggest you clean up," Windu added dryly.

Obi-Wan's ire returned as Windu left.

"I'm _so_ telling Master Qui-Gon of his Padawan's idiocy."

~:~

Said Padawan was in her quarters after Mace Windu had ordered them to go to their rooms. She was focusing on the double-bladed lightsaber.

She hadn't yet healed it. Nor had Qui-Gon remembered about the chip thing; Naruto usually carried it around and adjusted it when needed. Her communicator in her quarters was, as usual, silent. She let it float by the will of the Force, and turned off all her senses (in a way), immersing herself in the Force and focusing on the healing energies.

Slowly, she imagined her own color in the Force. A vibrant orange. Anakin was a sharp, vibrating blue. Her master, Qui-Gon, was a complex person, and his colors were varying shades of green.

Master Yoda's was the only one that Naruto couldn't really discern a color for because he had _so many._

(But then, he was so old, too...)

Naruto let the orange flow and paint the backs of her eyelids. She didn't hear her room's door open, nor did she feel the amazement coming from the other.

When Naruto _did_ open her eyes, it was to see white kyber crystals in her palms, no longer crying in pain.

Then she saw unfamiliar boots. She looked up to see an unfamiliar face.

"Hi!" she smiled. "Who are you?"

He didn't respond, just walked away.

Naruto poked her head out, but saw nothing.

"Weird," she announced, letting the door close.

She then noticed that the lightsaber hilt was in pieces.

She scowled, sitting back down with a small sigh.

When she was getting ready to use the Force to put the saber back together, Qui-Gon's Force presence touched her mind, then retreated. She got up, putting the chip controller in her pocket.

Anakin, Qui-Gon, and a freshly showered Obi-Wan met her. Her lips trembled, but she forced herself not to smile as she clutched the two small kybers in her pocket.

A lightbulb clicked in her mind, and she took the crystals out.

"I did it, Master!" she showed him the seamless kybers.

Master Qui-Gon smiled at her, then patted her head.

"I have a present for you both."

Both Padawans looked up at him.

"We're heading to the med center to get the chips removed."

Both children stared at their masters... Then both of them hugged each other, while internally yelling and broadcasting their thoughts to Obi-Wan.

 _Yes! That means we can stop listening to every direct order!_ Anakin thought happily.

 _This means I could hitch a ride on a star ship and run from the system if I make Master Qui-Gon mad!_ Naruto thought gleefully.

"Both of you are broadcasting your thoughts," Obi-Wan said, his left eye twitching.

Both stopped, and both rescinded their previous thoughts.

~"~

The medical droid that was working on them had to put the two Padawans to sleep, open up their necks, and take out the chips. Carefully, too; one slight mistake and they were dead.

Obi-Wan supervised the entire thing.

They were still heavily drugged as they headed back to the Temple, and it was nighttime before they reached the steps, and Obi-Wan was surprised they were still walking.

Still, it was good for them. Perhaps they wouldn't get into too much trouble.


	6. Chapter 6

THREE YEARS (After Phantom Menace)

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan looked around for his Padawan. "Anakin!" He reached for his small Padawan's signature. It was on a departing ship. He sighed, facepalming. He ran to Master Yoda's headquarters, got an approval to enter, and saw Yoda waiting on one of his chairs. "Master Yoda, my Padawan is currently on a departing ship, headed to... Shili, I think. Do you mind if I grab the idiot?"

Master Yoda shook his head and Obi-Wan thought he heard the older master's laugh as he ran through the hallways, heading towards a speeder.

Qui-Gon and Naruto were helping one of the Senators; the Ryloth ones, he recalled, so it wasn't practical to call them and ask for assistance.

Getting onto one of the ships headed for Shili, his Jedi robes caught attention. Ignoring that attention, the young Knight despaired at the thought of his idiot student.

Unknown to him, Anakin was getting a mental thrashing from his sister (everyone in the Temple referred to them as siblings now... They certainly _acted_ like it.)

~:~

Naruto was _furious._ Furious at her brother.

So she connected with his mind, completely stopping what she was doing, and gave him a stern talking to. Okay, _angry_ talking to.

 _Do you have ANY idea what your master is going through, Anakin?_ She demanded angrily. _He's probably so beyond worried; he's probably angry, annoyed, and worried sick at the same time! Also, angry! Just because Jedi aren't supposed to feel anger doesn't mean it doesn't pop up! So, when you get to Shili, you BETTER be in the spaceport he goes to. ARE WE CLEAR?!_

" _Yes,"_ Anakin meekly responded.

Satisfied, she opened her eyes, ready to finish folding the clothes, only to realize that they were all folded neatly.

"Naruto." Master Qui-Gon's voice hit her ears. "What have I told you about using the Force to _fold laundry?"_

Naruto heard a couple chuckles. Naruto felt her cheeks blazing, but shoved it away and looked at her master 'innocently'.

"I'm sorry, Master. It was unintentional - I was talking to Anakin." Qui-Gon lifted his eyebrows. Telepathy was a rare power that Anakin seemed to have somehow shared Naruto with; Naruto's empathy being a power Naruto had seemed to share with Anakin. "He somehow managed to get on a ship bound for Shili."

Both Master and student shared that moment of exasperated amusement that so often came with the territory of being familiar with Naruto and Anakin.


	7. Chapter 7

SIX YEARS (After Phantom Menace)

Naruto and Anakin faced each other in an empty combat room; well, empty of distractions. Naruto could feel the other masters watching. Naruto took out her lightsaber and ignited it.

She swallowed, purposefully immersing herself into the Force as she ignited it. Her orange blade reflected her as a person, she knew. The fact she had _two_ lightsabers was a bonus; but she needed to find her own crystal, a different one than healed kyber. Master Qui-Gon planned to take her to the Lothal system if the other masters allowed it.

(Not that they _hadn't_ left without the other masters' approval, but it was usually explained with Naruto's honest explanations that were almost too weird to be true. For example, "I got distracted by the sun, ended up tripping on my face and losing consciousness, temporary amnesia, shoved onto a galactic transport, and ended up in the Yavin system. From there, we landed on Yavin IV and... Well, I was given my memories back by giant temples, well, _a_ giant temple that was a nexus for the Force, where I then managed to damage another transport passing by the temple and make it crash, then I fixed it with my knowledge of fixing stuff, which then led us to utter disaster because I suck at mechanics..." The Council masters usually stopped listening at the first 'and' nowadays, usually just nodding and pretending that they were listening. Then they'd assign her for cleaning. That was the extent of it, really. Qui-Gon just wanted to be _sure._ )

She shifted into the stance of Shii-cho, going with the beginning style. Anakin shifted into Shien.

The silence was almost unbearable. Impatiently, Anakin moved to strike. Naruto shifted into Soresu, blocking his strike without needless action. Naruto's advantage was her smaller stature as well as her patience (having Qui-Gon as a master would force anyone to have patience. Not that it was bad, Naruto just had lots of energy.). Anakin's disadvantage was that he'd never fought Naruto lightsaber to lightsaber; Naruto and Anakin tended to lose a match on purpose to not fight the other, especially in a crowd. But that disadvantage went both ways.

Anakin pressed down before backing up. Naruto and him slowly circled each other at first - and then Naruto attacked. Her smaller stature allowed her to have a great prowess in Ataru, like Master Yoda; when Anakin tried to hit her, she practically danced out of the way.

"Naruto..." Anakin stared at her. "You have feathers now."

Naruto stared at Anakin. "Was that your lame way of distracting me?"

"Yes," Anakin admitted.

Naruto leaped over him, landing on one of her feet and sweeping the under under his feet, before taking her other lightsaber out and connecting it, flicking it on. A green blade hummed out. The orange and green hummed.

"You're fighting with _both?!"_ Anakin cried. "Masters, can I _please_ forfeit this match?"

Naruto raised her eyebrows. "Anakin... These are on the _low setting,"_ she said in a bland voice. "At most, they'll give you second-degree burns."

Anakin stared at her and took one of his hands off of his weapon to point.

"I'm human! That's _painful!"_

"And you're _dead,"_ Naruto commented, disarming him in a flash and putting her blade up to his neck.

Anakin sighed. "You always do that when we fight with vibroblades. I should've expected that."

Naruto nodded, deactivating her lightsabers. "Yes, little brother. You probably should have.

Anakin facepalmed. " _This is why we don't battle each other."_

"Tell that to the masters. I win because you've always underestimated me." Naruto grinned.

"Probably because you're so _short,"_ Anakin teased. He paled right after he said that, the smile falling off his face as his sister stilled.

Naruto turned to him, smiling, eyes closed.

Anakin swallowed, wisely backing up as Naruto ignited her lightsaber and Anakin summoned his.

~:~

"What's happening?" Mace Windu asked, tilting his head.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both sighed.

"He mentioned her height," Qui-Gon said, clapping his hand on his former Padawan's shoulder. "I shall pray to the Force that Naruto doesn't filet him."

The masters watched Naruto go through the forms of Ataru fluidly, her double blades kind of hurting the eyes.

Anakin was barely keeping up, keeping to the defense of Soresu.

Then Anakin stopped and deactivated his lightsaber when Naruto had vanished.

"I yield," Anakin said with an accepting face.

Naruto moved from behind him.

"I think the masters have seen enough," she said, looking into the alcove. She deactivated her sabers, and went to walk away when she stopped.

Then she was gone, her face filled with panic.

Anakin darted after her.

~:~

Naruto moved through the hallways, seeing the Guardians still guarding the cage of the Sith apprentice, as they had the last six years. Naruto knew what would happen, and the Guardians really didn't usually take her at her word.

So Naruto stood there, her lightsaber at the ready. She had a _feeling,_ a feeling so strong that she had to run to here.

He was going to break out, and Naruto had to stop him.

A small dent formed in his cell.

Naruto was only determined, so she waited.

Another dent.

"Guardians, do you plan on just _standing -"_ Naruto felt frustration as she realized that they were just holograms as they flickered. She crushed the images and waited.

Anakin came to her side.

"No Guardians?" Anakin asked. Naruto jabbed a single finger to the ground.

Anakin's eyes lit up with anger as he, too, realized that they'd grown complacent.

"He's going to flip," Naruto commented, rolling her shoulders.

"Who is?" Anakin asked.

Naruto grinned. "I never told him, despite all the lovely visits I had with him, that I healed his crystals and made his lightsaber mine." Her grin looked feral; over time, her baby teeth had fallen out and revealed that she had lethal-looking canine teeth that had a _vicious_ bite.

Anakin snickered, but then both dodged as the door flew past them.

Naruto rolled to her feet as Maul appeared, his yellow eyes far more sulfurous than before. Possibly because during Naruto's 'lovely visits', Naruto had fed him both Light energy and positive emotion, and Naruto could feel the confusion and anger.

(Naruto privately thought that the Zabrak was going through puberty a second time.)

"Maul, get back in your cell and I won't use this against you." His eyes stared at his former weapon, and Naruto saw realization on his face.

He drew in a massive amount of the Force, and _shoved_ it at her.

Naruto yelped as she was tossed through the hallway, hitting her head.

Shaking it off, Naruto ignited her dual blades, darting down the hallway - but then she stopped, the Force nudging her to do something similar to the first time. Except, not.

Naruto gathered the Force in her legs, then ran up the side of the hallway. The Force showed her what next to do. She drew the Force around her like a cloak, then she darted up the hallway, getting a little dizzy as she did.

As soon as she was positioned correctly, she sent a nudge to Anakin, making him stop using the Force Push on the Dathomirian's Force Push and causing him to skid back.

Naruto dropped on his shoulders from the ceiling, letting the Force stop concealing her.

Naruto placed her hands on the side of his head, and took.

~:~

Anakin stared at the very visible red energy coming from Maul and entering his sister. His sister's eyes started to turn yellow, and Maul's turned blue.

Then -

Maul roared and there was an invisible _crack_ in the Force, Maul's eyes returning to yellow and Naruto's returning to blue.

Anakin flinched.

Maul threw Naruto off of him as Jedi masters _finally_ arrived, but deactivated their lightsabers as Maul tried to use the Force.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Maul shouted at Naruto, who was being held by Anakin.

Naruto's eyes were filled with pain.

"I took it away." Naruto stared at her hands. "I had to take away your ability to use the Force. I took your pain, your anger. I _took it all."_ She grimaced and closed her eyes. "I had no choice." The masters stared at her. "I need isolation. Alone. Please."

Anakin nodded. "Come on." He guided his trembling sister out of the room, guiding her to her own room.

~:~

Qui-Gon opened the door to her room as she slept and realized that she had padded the room with blankets probably bought with the Order's money. She was sleeping, twitching, and every now and then she'd cry out.

He stepped in, letting the door close.

He saw a pouch full of money, raised an eyebrow, and looked closely at the blankets and other items tacked up to prevent sound escaping - then he realized that all of it must have been given to her for one reason or another. He saw a Pantoran blanket.

So they had been gifts.

This alone would have gotten her expelled from the Order, had she not been such a gift. With being able to see the near-future and other Force-sensitives, they couldn't really _afford_ to lose her.

Naruto cried out, and he reached out a hand, feeling with the Force. Since taking in Maul's dark emotions - and sealing away his connection with the Force, Naruto had become vulnerable to the Dark Side.

No - this wasn't the Dark Side that clung to her. She was reliving all of Maul's terrible deeds, his pain and madness.

He prayed to the Force.

 _Let her dream quietly._ Naruto seemed to breathe easier. _She knows terrible things, now. She knows what she must avoid. Finish it off, and let her dream quietly._

He didn't know if it worked or not; he stood up and left.

Anakin and Obi-Wan met him outside her room, Anakin looking wrecked and scared. Normally, Qui-Gon would chide him; but this was his sister in all but blood.

"She's... Not fine, but bearing it."

That was all that she _could_ do, really.


	8. Chapter 8

SEVEN YEARS (After Phantom Menace)

"Jango called me this morning, Master." Qui-Gon Jinn, a master Jedi and recently appointed to the Council, looked up at the child he'd taught for nearly eight years. Naruto flopped ungracefully onto the ground, her tail curling around her waist.

She'd been in off-and-on contact with the bounty hunter Jango Fett, and it seemed the higher tensions rose in the Senate the more the bounty hunter called.

"What does your bounty hunter want this time?" Last time the bounty hunter had wanted to get a drink with her in a shady pub below Coruscant.

Naruto looked at him, looking completely serious. "He wants me to be his baby mama."

Qui-Gon dropped the holopad he was reading a holostory on.

Naruto snickered. "Jeez, Master. Can't take a joke, can you?" She smiled at him. "Actually, he said he's going to be coming by the Temple roof and that he wants my opinion on something, and that I'll be paid credits for helping him. I haven't seen him in a while, so I was going to go, but I figured I'd let you know." Qui-Gon rose his left eyebrow. Naruto shrugged. "Something to do with Mandalore, the Duchess, and mentions of truffles."

Ah, truffles. If the Dark Side had truffles, Qui-Gon had difficulty believing Naruto _wouldn't_ join them.

(Qui-Gon never, ever mentioned this to Naruto. Because if he brought up the fact that the Dark Side might gain her truffles, Naruto would _definitely_ look for proof, and he _really_ didn't want her to find it.)

"You can go, but I'm telling the Council you're going to have to explain yourself." A giant ship appeared, going straight to the Temple. A rope appeared, then latched onto Naruto's body.

"Well, this is new," the Jedi Padawan said, waving. "Don't worry, Master, I was kidnapped!"

 _Technically_ speaking, yes, that was true. But hey, Naruto embraced technicalities.

Qui-Gon returned to his holostory.

~:~

Naruto hugged the armored bounty hunter quickly before releasing him. "So, whatcha need from me?" The teen Jedi asked eagerly. Jango took his helmet off.

"The Duchess' guards have paid me for a two-man job of temporarily keeping the Duchess safe from Deathwatch," the Mandalorian explained. "I have armor in the back for you."

Naruto grabbed her tail. "And my tail?" she asked, suspiciously. "And my robes? Lightsaber?"

"You can keep your lightsaber. I made the boots big enough for it, since you have rather small feet," Jango said, smirking at the twitch he was making appear in the teen. "As for other weapons and your robes, you'll have a vibroblade on you as well as a blaster. Not sure what else is there. I had the armor made for you for this mission. If you don't die, keep it."

Naruto couldn't help herself. She hugged the Mandalorian. "THANK YOU! THAT'S - THANK YOU!"

Then she sighed and removed herself.

"I am _so_ going to get expelled from the Order one of these days," she muttered to herself as she moved in his ship.

Jango snickered.

~:~

Jango almost pulled out a blaster at the red-armored Mandalorian, but then he realized that it was just Naruto. He just _barely_ recognized her lightsaber blade, in her left boot - and he frowned when seeing her right boot. Her tail was tucked away in the armor.

"You have two lightsabers?" he asked her.

Naruto shrugged. "Nicked it off the Sith I bested." She removed the helmet, and her face was conflicted. "Jango... If you had a power to take something away, like... Sight, would you use it against people threatening the people you care about?"

Jango glanced at her. They were well on their way to Mandalore, in lightspeed, so he really didn't have to be at the controls.

"If I had many people I cared about, yeah, I would," he replied honestly. Aurra Sing was an... Ally, he supposed. There was really only one person he thought of as 'friend', and that was the teenage Jedi Knight next to him in his ship.

(Okay, if he met her older brother, MAYBE he could count.)

"Did you do something like that?" Jango questioned.

Naruto looked down, then she sighed.

"I nicked this from a Sith when I was eight," she said, gesturing to her lightsaber. "On Naboo, not long after the Boonta Eve Race." That didn't surprise Jango. "Like me, obviously, he could use the Force. But..." Naruto swallowed. "I took that away from him, too, a year ago. He's locked up in the Coruscant prison."

She looked like she was going to be sick.

Jango took a deep breath.

"As a bounty hunter, I choose to take lives for a bounty, kid. But if I ever had a kid, and if he was threatened by someone I had to take alive for the job, I'd kill 'em," Jango replied honestly.

Naruto nodded. "I see." Naruto sat back. "So, the Duchess... Did you lie and tell me that there were truffles, or were you serious?"

"The guards who hired us were informed half of half the payment had to be made in truffles," Jango replied, unable to keep a straight face about _that._

~:~

Aurra Sing waited in the small, out-of-the way pub on Mandalore for the two hunters that would be helping out with the bounty. One would be protecting the Duchess while the other two took out the head of Death Watch, a man by the name of Kre Vizsla. The price of the head of Death Watch was two and a half million credits and a thousand truffles.

Aurra had a thought about the truffles...

Before she could name the one person dumb enough to ask for _truffles_ , two people entered the small pub.

Whispers went through the pub; of course, it being Jango Fett Aurra wasn't surprised. However, a shorter Mandalorian female entered with Jango, and that's what caused the commotion of honest surprise. Fett usually worked alone. He was good at that.

But then, Aurra worked with him, too, so she couldn't say much. He _usually_ worked alone.

"Who's the jailbait?" Aurra joked.

"Well, at least you retained your sense of humor," the shorter Mandalorian said, tapping the side of the helmet. One of Aurra's eyebrows shot up and stared at the helmet that had gone transparent.

"Well, well, look who's moved up in the world! Bounty hunter?" Aurra asked, a smile on her lips.

Naruto winced. "No. I was bought by the Jedi Order in a sense. Didn't know where my homeworld was, so... I stayed." Naruto shrugged, but she looked down, as if afraid of what Aurra would think.

Aurra simply scoffed and smiled. "I bet they're teaching you well. Too bad you can't have possessions."

"Hasn't stopped me before." Naruto shot her a sly smirk. "Half the systems I've gone to have a materialistic way of thanking me." Aurra snorted in laughter.

"And you haven't been expelled?" she asked, smirking.

Naruto smirked, but there was a slight shadow. "I'm sure that since I use most of them to soundproof the room so I don't wake the other Padawans with my screams, they let me keep them." She tapped her helmet again, and the tint appeared again, and they sat down, getting down to business.

"So," Aurra spoke first. "Has he told you the job?"

"Yeah. I'm guarding the Duchess, you two go and get the bounty on the Death Watch head." Naruto spoke in a low tone, letting the natural loudness of the others to shield her voice. Aurra nodded, then drank out of her cup before freezing and glaring at the silent Mandalorian. "You asked for the truffles!"

"Naruto likes truffles," the Fett replied, unfazed. "It was the one thing I can't deny the kid, after I kidnapped her from her place."

Naruto nodded. "Thankfully, he took me in front of my master, who's actually understanding when weird stuff like this happens," she said with a sigh. "Like that one time I accidentally landed in the Yavin system."

"Yeah... I heard about that from Talon Karrde." Aurra choked. _That's_ why Talon Karrde had been late to her meeting with him?! He'd said something about a wild blond animal ruining his ship...

Naruto slammed her helmeted head on the table.

"It was an accident," she said, sounding mournful. "I suck at mechanics!"

~:~

Naruto walked to the prearranged meeting point with the guards, a dock number and a container.

She walked around, kind of comfortable in the armor.

She rounded the corner, and met with a platinum blonde-haired lady with guards around her.

"Uh..." Naruto wracked her brain for the meeting phrase. "Truffles fall from the sky!" she said triumphantly.

The Duchess stared at her. "The sky is green, and can never become truffles," she completed.

Naruto nodded, then looked at the guards.

"I was told that the queen was under the illusion you _didn't_ hire me," Naruto told them bluntly.

The Duchess sighed. "Well, buying loads of truffles 'for my guards' gave me a clue," she said flatly. "You can take your helmet off."

Naruto simply pressed the button that made it transparent.

"I'm Naruko!" she offered, giving the Duchess a fake version of her name. "And I can promise I will try not to use my weapons in front of you. I don't go back on my word." She paused. "Unless I'm just buying time, which I _swear_ I'm not doing."

The Duchess sighed. "I have no choice but to trust you, Naruko. Please, come with me."

~:~

Naruto was quite alert; since the teen didn't need as much sleep as the normal human, she blended in with the decorations in the Duchess' place. Seeing people in Death Watch armor, Naruto used the Force to speed up to get behind them, then she pressed the button Jango told her specifically _not_ to press on her opponent's jetpack, and that guy flew straight up, crashing through the glass; so long that the jetpack overheated and exploded, taking the person who carried it with it.

Then she knocked out the other Death Watch member, using Jedi training, just not with her lightsaber.

She liked the Niman style. It combined most of the Forms together. Without her lightsaber, though, it just gave her an edge.

She took the armor off, then tapped one of the guards on the shoulder, making noise as she did so.

"Caught a guy. Think the other one went too high in the atmosphere in his jetpack," Naruto informed him in a quiet voice.

The guard nodded, and he walked out of the room, giving quiet orders to other guards.


	9. Chapter 9

**So a couple weeks ago, I went onto a site to create two characters in this story. Since Fanfiction doesn't let me post pictures anywhere except as the cover, I uploaded the pictures onto my blog.**

 **lolangez. blogspot. com**

 **Without the spaces. Hope you like them!**

 **And I hope you like the story!**

 **~angelslaugh**

 **~:~:~:~:~**

Qui-Gon was interrupted while reading his second holostory of the week.

"Master," Anakin said, looking a bit worried. "Where's Naruto? She said she'd be back yesterday three days ago."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Give it another hour. I'm sure she'll be here." Just as he finished, the ship that had 'kidnapped' his Padawan appeared, messing up the rooftop garden, and making Qui-Gon's long hair move around quite a bit.

Naruto then leaped out, carrying a large chest.

Seeing her master and brother, she cringed a little.

"It's to hold the blankets," Naruto defended.

"And a souvenir from your bounty hunter sweetheart," Qui-Gon said dryly. "The Masters said you have to clean the kitchens this time." Naruto scowled as she walked away.

He distinctly heard, "He's not my _sweetheart,_ he's almost Master Qui-Gon's age - I think - and besides, he's just a _friend."_

Anakin scoffed, she hit him, and ordered him to tell of his most recent conflict with the Talz and Pantorans that he'd been sent with Obi-Wan to settle.

Being a peacekeeper in a time of almost war was almost impossible. Than again, Naruto was able to stop civil war with just one meal on some of the planets Qui-Gon and her had been on, but Anakin usually was the one _starting_ states of civil unrest (even accidentally).

"So what was your bounty hunter's question?" Qui-Gon asked Naruto, later in the Temple.

Naruto looked at him, frowning, one of her ears flicking in the direction of one of the Padawans talking with Madame Jocasta.

"He never asked me," she said after a moment. "I ended up leaving Mandalore with Aurra Sing - Duchess Satine wanted to speak with him for a while. Of course, Jango yelled at Aurra for stealing his ship." Naruto smiled a little.

Qui-Gon eyed her carefully. She seemed much better now that she'd gotten away from the Temple and Coruscant. Naruto continued reading for a moment, then she looked at her master.

"Master, I think I need a lightsaber of my own." Naruto's statement caused him to stop his own reflections on his Padawan's behavior and look at her.

"I thought you were fine with your own," he said, motioning to the lightsabers she had taken off of Maul.

She took her blades out. Despite reconstructing them to her design, they still looked eerily close to the Dark Sider's blades.

"I am," she said, frowning. "But I didn't construct them from scratch. I constructed them with two _healed_ crystals from _another person's_ lightsabers. I don't feel like I've... Earned the kybers' trust." Naruto was highly attuned with the Living Force; perhaps that was why her brother and her made such a great pair of Jedi. He was attuned to the side of the Force that had to do with 'fixing' things, while she was attuned to the 'healing' side of things. Speaking of the kyber crystals as 'living', it was no wonder most of the older council thought she was a bit unhinged.

But then, there _had_ been that incident with Maul. She'd touched a side nobody could truly understand. Touching the Dark Side left a shadow on someone (usually); and taking someone's ability to touch the Force like Naruto had was completely unheard of (until then).

But he trusted her judgment.

"Perhaps you should see Master Yoda," he offered. Master Yoda understood more about the teenage girl than he could (probably because he'd spent hundreds of years _dealing_ with teenage girls); despite the fact Master Yoda believed _nobody_ should touch the Dark Side, Naruto had spent months dealing with Maul's memories, his anger, and his hate and the only evidence of that was her lack of sleep and dark circles under her eyes. Yes, she'd been more sarcastic and snappy, but that also could have been attributed to her lack of sleep.

But now, with not even a week out of the Temple, she wasn't being sarcastic, the bags under her eyes were gone, and she looked healthy and happy again.

Perhaps another journey out of the Temple would help.

~:~

Master Yoda eyed the young female. He understood humans' thinking patterns a lot better now that he was older and wiser, but he didn't know why she was so uncertain. Her thoughts were shielded from him, even though she seemed unaware of it.

"Why you have come, tell me," invited the older master.

Naruto unhooked her lightsaber from her belt.

"Master... I feel incomplete with this lightsaber," she admitted after a lengthy silence. "I feel as though the kyber crystals do not accept me fully because I am not the one they were going to choose. But I also feel that if I make another lightsaber, they might accept me. I... Want to build my own lightsaber and not keep stealing them," she finished, her fox ears on her head and tail curled around her waist in a tight manner. She was scared, he deduced, and almost told her the mantra he'd told dozens of Jedi.

But he didn't; instead, he reached out to the kyber crystals and found that she was not lying. The kybers weren't fully attuned to her.

After a moment, he made a decision.

"Leaving, the younglings are. Go with them, you will. To the Caves of Ilum, Master Unduli will take you." The master gave her his odd smile, and she smiled back.

"Thank you, Master!"


	10. Chapter 10

Ahsoka Tano, Barriss Offee, and a boy named Kanan Jarrus all waited with Master Luminara Unduli for the last member of their party to arrive.

When footsteps in the hanger below the ship met their ears, the younglings all turned to see one of the coolest Jedi they had heard of and seen in passing stepping up the ramp.

"Sorry I'm late," the teen gasped. "I had to collect the items that I could make mine out of."

They stared at her with bewilderment, glancing at the lightsaber on her waist.

"It's fine," Luminara said, walking to the cockpit of the shuttle. "All of you, buckle in and get ready for liftoff."

Luminara flicked switches, and they all buckled into the seats.

Ahsoka asked the question that they were all thinking.

"Uh, Master, what are you doing here?" Naruto didn't answer until Luminara spoke.

"Padawan Uzumaki, I believe Youngling Tano is speaking to you."

Naruto jolted and looked at Ahsoka.

"I'm not a master," Naruto chuckled. "And I'm here for the same reason you are, just a little different. I'm here to construct a lightsaber."

Ahsoka frowned. "But you already have one."

Naruto blinked, then took off her lightsaber.

"I stole this one," she admitted, "and I repurposed it. It looks similar to what it looked like before because I didn't know how to make it any differently than he did."

"You stole your lightsaber?" Kanan asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Naruto nodded. "I was eight, I stole it off a Sith. He was just a novice, though, so I guess it shouldn't be a surprise I managed to randomly steal it from him. I healed the crystals -"

"Healed?" Barriss interrupted. "What do you mean, 'healed'? They're not living, are they?"

Naruto chuckled. "Careful, youngling. Don't upset the Force. The kyber crystals are alive in a way that some Force users will never understand." She winked at them. "But then, everyone in the Temple thinks I'm a bit crazy for thinking that some things are alive. I'm just warning you, you do _not_ want the Force angry at you." The teenager took a deep breath. "Kyber crystals, as I've learned - and probably you have as well - are inherently attuned to the Light side of the Force. The Sith I faced was a user of the Dark Side and 'broke' his crystals, causing them to 'bleed' in a way. I spent the better part of my first year at the Temple learning to 'heal' the crystals." Naruto smiled fondly. "So I re-purposed the lightsaber, discarding some of the pieces I didn't need, and I created this." She twisted the lightsaber's hilt, and the two pieces separated. "It's my hope that I can find the crystal meant for _me,_ as a person."

She re-connected the two sabers and put it back on her belt.

"An interesting story," Luminara said, not having heard it before. "Tell me, Padawan; do you know the colors of their lightsabers yet?"

Naruto looked at the younglings. "I can guess," she said after a moment. "But you know as well as I do, Master Unduli, that their color might not be their lightsaber color." Her voice was cool and hard, something that struck the learners as odd.

Mace Windu's color was an indigo, and his lightsaber was purple. There was no telling what a Jedi's lightsaber color was when the color of a person could change just as easily as it appeared. Knowing that, it wasn't hard to guess that the Sith's lightsabers _would_ match their color, which was a bloody red.

It was noted among the younger generation that Naruto was one of the most talented, along with her close friend Anakin; but seeing her up close with a dual-bladed lightsaber made them wonder just _how_ talented as she spoke of the Force as a living being.

~:~

Ilum was _freezing._ Ahsoka noticed, with some amusement, that Naruto had brought _seven_ cloaks and she was _still_ shivering. Ahsoka was affected, yes, but not to the extent Naruto was. Snow had already begun collecting on her as they summoned the Temple through the Force.

Entering, the Padawan unhooked her lightsaber from her belt and handed it to Luminara, who set it down in front of her when she sat.

Naruto entered the caves completely first.

When Kanan entered next, there was no sign of her. Not even the faintest stirring of the ice particles on the ground.

~:~

Anakin reached out for his sister, confused as the Force seemed to muffle her. Every time he reached to her, she seemed to slip further and further away.

"Focus!" Madame Jocasta hit his head and broke his concentration.

Scowling, the Padawan continued reading.

~:~

Naruto entered the first door, and into a room.

A woman Naruto recalled from the meeting during the Naboo incident with the Senator strode into the room, carrying a baby with blonde hair, two ears, and a tail.

"Perfect mix of both of us, aren't you?" the woman said in a loving voice.

The baby in her arms hugged her finger, trying to bring it to her mouth.

"Oh, dear. No, don't eat my finger," the woman scolded. "Come on, let's go."

Naruto followed the woman, only to appear on a dusty planet with red square buildings.

"Helping you was only about getting you more access to get more slaves!" the woman Naruto had seen in her last vision lashed out to a Zygerrian. Naruto had looked them up in the Temple.

The Zygerrian sneered. "Well, now Alderaan is safe now, ain't it?" he sneered.

The woman lunged towards the Zygerrian, but was caught by the blonde human man.

"Kushina, stop. Think of our child," the human man said in the woman - Kushina's - ear. Kushina snarled at the Zygerrian. "This isn't over!" Kushina let herself be dragged away.

The Zygerrian sneered at them. "Oh, I think it is," he said, his voice dark.

Naruto wanted to follow her mother, as she knew the woman was, but instead followed the Zygerrian.

Her heart seemed to stop. There she was, taken from the ship she must have been on.

"Did you do it?" another Zygerrian asked the one who had been talking to her parents.

"Yes. Their navicomputer is set to hit lightspeed and take them back to Alderaan. By the time they reach home and come back, the stupid child will be sold." The Zygerrian smirked.

Naruto collapsed, the vision vanishing to show her in the Ilum caves.

"How pathetic." A voice she'd never heard before said, his voice deep; haunting breathing followed it. Naruto stood up and saw her lightsaber.

Summoning it, she turned it on as the black-cloaked creature appeared.

More droid than human, a helmet covered his face, keeping it safe from the cold elements. Or keeping him alive. A red lightsaber matching the color he was came out with the usual _snap-hiss._

She felt she knew him.

With a battle cry, she twirled her double-bladed lightsaber.

"All your fears will come to life."

She stopped, frowning.

Taking advantage of her frozen form, he cut her lightsaber in half.

Naruto got close enough and ripped the mask off.

She stared at the face of her brother.

He grabbed her neck, bodily throwing her across the cave.

His lightsaber flashed up -

 _-Naruto could see it. The calamity the Force wanted to stop._

 _Alderaan, destroyed by a single blast. The slowly-dying cries of hundreds of planets as they were forced under a single symbol, a single shadow._

 _Chancellor Palpatine as a Sith lord, with her brother by his side._

 _Shmi the first domino. His wife? The next. And Naruto, the final - expelled from the Order because of the attachment she had formed with him -_

-and down. Naruto didn't defend herself.

When she opened her eyes, a gleaming cluster of crystals was in front of her face.

She waved her hand, pressing gently with the Force, and they all rose.

Naruto carefully set them back in their niche, then carefully took them out by hand.

Now... _What was she supposed to do with eight kyber crystals?_


	11. Chapter 11

Naruto stepped into the main cavern, her mind whirring. Anakin had several attachments in her vision, attachments that the Force was telling her to save.

The other younglings weren't back yet, but Luminara was waiting patiently.

"Master," Naruto said, sitting down there. "May I ask you something?"

Luminara opened her eyes, exiting her meditation. "Of course."

Naruto wondered the best way to phrase this. "If the Force showed you something that must not happen, do you do the obvious to stop it, or do you sit and wait while others do it?"

Luminara blinked slowly.

"What did you see?" Luminara questioned.

The Force stopped her from telling the Master. Her throat worked, but she didn't make a sound. Luminara raised an eyebrow, and Naruto slumped in defeat.

"Apparently I can't say," Naruto said, disappointment curling in her stomach.

Luminara frowned a little.

"You speak as though you saw something bad happen, but yet you cannot say it. Was it something that happened to a master?"

Naruto shook her head. "A galaxy-wide catastrophe."

Luminara's face relaxed, and she smiled.

"Then let the Senate take care of it."

Naruto stared at Luminara, who went back to her meditation.

Naruto stood up, scooping up her dual saber. _Let the SENATE, who can't even decide on a SINGLE ACTION for a hundred days, TAKE CARE of something like the SITH?!_

Disgusted, Naruto scoffed. "Wow." She stalked out of the Ilum caves, not noticing the cold. She paced outside.

 _Palpatine is a Sith. Obviously I can't prove it, as he doesn't look evil, but when have I ever been wrong? My color-sense shows me. I'm not wrong. He's screwing with this galaxy, and the Jedi are just standing by and watching it happen._ Naruto slammed into the side of the ship, and she made her way onto it, blinking the dizziness away.

She remained silent as the master came onto the ship, and the younglings all sat in a circle, Luminara watching them as they started to put their lightsabers together.

Then they all turned to Naruto.

"Are you going to make yours?" Ahsoka asked, a curious tilting of her head making her look really adorable.

Naruto bit her lip. She'd gotten some _beskar_ (Mandalorian metal), and had made her standard lightsaber construct; but she had multiple kyber crystals.

Sighing, the teen set her crystals down, noticing the surprise; then she set her original lightsaber down. Closing her eyes, Naruto immersed herself in her color - then her color seemed to turn transparent; turning into a cerulean she was certain was the same color as her eyes. Her color hadn't changed, it was simply _added to._

The cerulean and orange molded together.

Naruto's orange crystal set in one of the bases of the metal cylinders. The _beskar_ covering held it in place, and six of the smaller crystals set deeply into the metal, another sheet of _beskar_ bending by the will of the Force and molding seamlessly over it.

The two smaller crystals set themselves in her dual blade; her bigger kyber crystal setting itself back in its original perch. Pieces of Maul's former lightsaber hilt set themselves on the blade, but Naruto also had made a piece to put over the dual-bladed lightsaber while on Mandalore while still being able to take them apart if she wanted to use them like that. Jango had helped her after the job was done.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the shorter one didn't even remotely _look_ like a lightsaber hilt.

She turned it on, and then off again as it instantly cut through the ground.

"Well," she said, her eyebrows shooting up. "I guess this will have to do."

"You -" Barriss looked astounded. "You made a _lightwhip."_

Naruto stared at the smaller object in her hand.

 _I can't make anything right,_ she thought to herself, dismayed. The orange lightwhip felt like hers now; as did her lightsaber.

The Padawan went back to her seat, fox ears tightly pressed against her head, and she just looked at her feet, refusing to engage in conversation.

~:~

"How did it go?" Qui-Gon asked his apprentice.

Naruto turned dull blue eyes onto him.

"Terribly," she said flatly. "I'll be in the Archives, looking up information about great Jedi who wielded _lightwhips."_

She stormed into the Temple.

Luminara frowned. "I am concerned about your apprentice," she said. "She feels a great deal of anger."

Qui-Gon sighed. "I'll talk to her."

~:~

Anakin spotted his sister _crying._

Instantly, he stopped what he was doing and followed his sister to his room, completely forgetting about his task to teach the younglings in lightsaber movement.

"Naruto," he said, entering her room. Naruto sniffled and turned away from him. He walked over to her bed.

"Anakin, I'm not sure how long I can stay in the Order," she said, her voice cracking a little.

Anakin rubbed her arm, her tail wrapping around his waist to find some measure of being grounded.

"I'm angry at them," she told him honestly. "I'm angry and I'm scared, Ani. I can't make my own lightsaber, I made a light _whip._ Only Sith use that type of weapon."

Anakin didn't care about that, he seriously didn't. Naruto wasn't looking for pretty words to keep her comforted - she was looking for something that matched her experiences. Someone who wouldn't judge.

"I met a girl." He went red that he'd just blurted that out. One of her ears came up a little. "You know her too - it's Padme." He said her name dreamily.

Naruto snorted, though it sounded gross.

"We've only met her once," Naruto said, frowning a little as she sat up.

" _You_ have, yes." Anakin rubbed the back of his head. "I went to a meeting a few weeks ago concerning relations between Naboo and Mandalore, even though they're so far apart it's not even funny." Naruto listened. "Apparently Duchess Satine and Padme are good friends. Somehow. Anyway, I met Padme again and she remembered me."

"As 'little Ani', I'm guessing," Naruto said, looking up at him with a tiny smirk.

He scowled at her. "At first, but that's not the point. Apparently the Duchess wants Padme to go to Mandalore. I was hoping you'd come with me if Padme asks me to guard her."

Naruto smiled - then froze.

"Anakin, we need to go back home."

Anakin stared at her in confusion.

"What are you -"

"No time!" Naruto tugged him out of the room. "We have to go _now._ The fate of the galaxy is in our hands."

Anakin nodded and followed her.


	12. Chapter 12

"Sorry, Master Yoda," a hologram of Naruto said to the smaller green master. "But I can't just sit back and watch while something happens to someone I care about."

"Flight plan's logged," Anakin's voice said. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." The teenage Alderaanian turned back to the master. "Please, Master Yoda. Discipline me when we get back to the Temple."

Yoda bowed his head and shut off the hologram.

"Will you expel her?" Qui-Gon asked, swallowing.

"Listen to her explanation, we will," Yoda said. "Good reasons, she gives."

Qui-Gon eyed the master.

"You actually _listen_ to her reasons?"

"Have anything else to do, I do not," Yoda answered with a chuckle. "Amuse me, she does."

Qui-Gon sighed.

~:~

The arid desert planet made Naruto throw her outer layers off, not caring that she was a Jedi striding through Mos Eisley.

She went to the slave registration office first, Anakin going to Watto's shop.

" _Shmi Skywalker?"_ she asked in Huttese, and the Dug grunted.

" _Freed seven years ago."_ He peered at the registration. " _Married to Owen Lars, who owns a moisture farm."_ Right, this was also the land registration area. " _About fifty miles outside Mos Eisley."_

Naruto nodded curtly.

Meeting up with Anakin, who looked annoyed, she knew he hadn't found anything.

Since stealing was quite common, Naruto and Anakin stole a speeder - er. Borrowed.

They left a couple hundred credits... You could buy half a moisture farm with that here on Tatooine.

Naruto focused, and smiled.

"She's here, alive and well," she said to Anakin.

Anakin smiled, his relief obvious.

As they pulled up, there was no movement around. That wasn't exactly unnatural, but Naruto did get the sense they were being watched.

Anakin pressed the door's buzzer.

It opened.

"State your name, outsider," a thick voice said in Basic.

"Anakin Skywalker," Anakin replied in a flat voice.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto chirped, tail wagging. "Where's Shmi?"

"Owen!" Shmi Skywalker - or Lars, Naruto supposed - shoved down the gun. "That's my son and daughter you're pointing the gun at!"

Owen grunted and put his gun down.

"Well, with them Tusken Raiders always hangin' about, you never know what's going on," huffed the man.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not a Tusken Raider, seeing as I'm from Coruscant," Naruto deadpanned. Then shook her head. "Actually, I'm Alderaanian. Never been there - in my memory, that is," she finished, recalling the vision in the Caves of Ilum.

"Well, since it's night, you should come in," Owen invited. "The Tuskens'll be comin' out soon."

Naruto frowned a little as they entered. "What's wrong with the Tusken Raiders? They never come this far."

"Need more land," Owen grunted. "Or something."

Naruto sighed. "Or they want the water."

Anakin nodded. Then he looked at Naruto. "Please tell me you're not going to promise them -"

"I am _not_ going to _purposely_ go _near_ a Tusken Raider," Naruto said flatly, ears going onto her skull. "They set my fur on edge." And that wasn't a Force-sense talking, that was her fur talking - as a race, the people she was apart of must dislike sentients like the Sand People.

"Great, just great," Anakin said with a sigh. "Can we stop them?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto shook her head. "Not unless you want some _other_ poor sentient to get kidnapped by them." She looked at Anakin, who was frowning. "Oh, for the love of the Force. _Fine._ "

"Let's go, then!" Anakin offered with a crazy grin. Naruto sighed, resigned to this.

"What?" Shmi asked suspiciously.

"Apparently we're going to solve the Tusken Raider problem," Naruto said, shooting Anakin an angry look.

"Please tell me you're joking," Shmi pleaded.

"I think we've dealt with worse," Anakin replied in a 'bright' voice. "After all, there was Zenoma Sekot -"

"Crazy, don't want to think about that world. That world -" Naruto shuddered. "I can _still_ feel it. It's almost creepy."

"Coming from _you,_ that's a surprise. I thought you were all about the 'Living Force' and stuff," he said.

Naruto leveled him with a flat look.

"Healing, I can cope with. Empathy, I can totally get. But - a planet that _grows weapons?_ A planet that does that? It's natural, but the Force does not flow through it like every other thing in the galaxy. The Force - it's like it was _forced_ there," Naruto explained. "Ugh, I suck at explaining this."

"Yes, you do," Anakin nodded. "We doing this or you going to keep stalling?"

Naruto twitched.

"Do I _have_ to?"

~:~

Anakin peered over the ledge with binoculars that had night vision embedded in them.

"They're just sitting around and talking. Not raiding."

"How many are there?" Naruto asked, watching their back without need for them. Naruto was very in touch with her feral side, and Anakin was _still_ amazed that her eyes became catlike like that.

Anakin counted. "Twenty-five."

"That's low," Naruto said, frowning. Then she swallowed. "Ah. Well, there's a raiding party coming back."

Anakin turned around. There they were.

And -

"For the love of the Force, why does it have to be a lightsaber-wielding one?"

"He can use the Force, too." Naruto's tiny voice caused Anakin to look at her. "Two of them can. And both are way older than us."

"You have your lightsaber and lightwhip," Anakin reasoned.

"Anakin, use your freaking head. I use Niman, you use Djem So, and if they use enough of the perfect counters, then we're screwed," Naruto hissed to him.

Anakin looked at her. "Well, you can use your ability to take the Force away from -"

He stopped his sentence there. Naruto's face had gone pale.

"Anakin, they're _blue,_ " she said softly. "I would never use that power against someone blue."

Anakin bit his lip. "Sorry," he offered instead.

Naruto shook her head and continued watching.

"Oh, no," she said, causing Anakin to look through the binoculars. "They have Shmi."

Anakin spotted his mother, looking battered.

"We got here too late. How did we miss them?" Anakin demanded, looking panicked.

"Calm down, Ani -"

"Don't! Don't tell me to _calm down!_ That's my _mother!"_

Naruto sighed. "I _know,_ Ani! But we can't, not until we know what they want."

"They don't speak _Basic,"_ Anakin spat. "And I don't speak _savage."_

"Luckily for you, I _do!"_ Naruto hissed, bringing him up short. "Remember, practically a Tatooine native? If I can convince them I'm a lost Raider, then I can infiltrate, go in there and -"

"What do you even _know_ of Tusken culture?" Anakin snapped angrily.

"Enough to know that if I manage to kill a krayt dragon, they'll honor me as one of _them,"_ Naruto growled. "Lucky for you, as I'm fifteen, I'll manage to convince them. The Force guides me, Ani. When I kill the krayt dragon, I will be celebrated. Let's hope the Force doesn't fail me then. While I am celebrated, you go in and get your mother. I can heal what they do to her without being near her; I need a single day to get ready to do that _and_ get ready to infiltrate. Okay? I need to sell it. If there is a Jedi down there, he'll know when I am lying and not lying."

With a plan made, Naruto and Anakin vanished from the ledge.

Not long after they did, two in the raiding group turned to the ledge with curiosity and puzzlement.


	13. Chapter 13

A'Sharad Hett was human, yet adopted into the Tusken culture because his parents were both in their culture. From the way they spoke to the way they formed life-bonds with their bantha, A'Sharad knew a lot about the Raiders.

He also knew about his father's culture as a Jedi, and how he'd lost his homeworld.

Sharad Hett taught him much about the Force, and in doing so, A'Sharad knew that another being was approaching his settlement.

Speaking the Tusken way, he gleaned from the intruder that most of her camp had been wiped out, and a sandstorm had separated them from each other.

Finding her age, she replied she hadn't been able to claim her coming-of-age; the attack had destroyed her camp a while ago, and she'd been wandering in search of a krayt dragon ever since to prove herself.

A'Sharad told her, in no uncertain terms, that if she betrayed the camp, she'd be killed by his father.

With those grave words, the woman, named Aru, entered the camp.

~:~

Naruto had been there for three days. Luckily, they were letting her make a weapon before making her face a krayt dragon.

Naruto healed what she could, keeping Shmi asleep, feeding the image of her being awake and Force-projecting screams at the appropriate times. It was terrifying. Naruto had to be careful in her use of the Force or she'd be found out.

Since she'd had to hastily make her own _gaderffi,_ a weapon that was basically a bladed stick, she wasn't quite prepared to face a krayt dragon.

But she entered the Laguna Caves, something she didn't particularly want to go. She'd lure it out into the open, then kill it in front of the Tusken group. Somehow.

Oh, she was praying Anakin was grabbing Shmi right now. She didn't particularly want to deal with the aftermath of everyone finding out she was not, in fact, a member of the Tusken Raiders.

The krayt dragon walked towards her - then lunged alarmingly fast.

Naruto ran, then got closer, _inviting_ the krayt dragon to follow.

The krayt dragon took the bait, unable to help. No food had appeared in ages.

Naruto and the krayt dragon faced each other. Her best bet was to go for the inside of the dragon. So, in the midst of the cheering Tuskens, Naruto did the stupid thing and shoved her _gaderffi_ stick in the krayt's mouth, then climbed in, avoiding the teeth.

Then she was swallowed.

~:~

Sharad Hett suspected something was up when the _obviously_ Force sensitive 'Tusken' appeared; thinking she'd stop the charade when it got to the dangerous part, he'd invited everyone to watch the idiot Force sensitive get eaten.

But she was still there, inside the krayt dragon, sliding into its gullet.

Soon she'd run out of air. Sharad shook his head, mildly disappointed as the Force signature seemed to flicker for a moment.

A'Sharad began to turn away, as did Sharad, but then the krayt dragon roared.

Giving air to the girl. Clever. He grudgingly gave her points; but how was she going to get out?

The krayt dragon fell, dead; the mouth still open.

The Tusken Raiders all looked at the body in anticipation

Then a gloved hand reached out of the throat, clutching pearls.

There was a silence as Aru pulled herself out of the body of the krayt dragon.

Despite her not being a Tusken Raider, she'd fought well. But that was the only victory given.

~:~

Naruto, smiling behind her mask as she showed the pearls around, felt for Shmi.

She was gone from the camp.

A beacon of blazing anger - Anakin's anger - met her attention.

She shoved the pearls in her belt as Anakin stormed up, his lightsaber ablaze.

The leader, the one who was Force sensitive, stood.

What do you want, outsider? he demanded.

Anakin's eyes glowed yellow.

"You tortured her," Anakin snarled.

Oh, _sith._ Naruto moved swiftly. _Anakin! I'm sorry! I tried -_

He started to cut the Raiders down, and Naruto flung herself in front of the Tusken child standing in his way.

His lightsaber blade sliced down, and Naruto screamed as the blade seared her skin and cut her, exposing her skin; and since Tuskens didn't show skin, they would obviously be very pale underneath their clothes.

Naruto's very tan skin showed, and she took her disguise off.

"Stop this, Anakin!" she said, using the Force to shove him back before summoning her saber to her hand. "I healed her as much as I could, kept her asleep as long as I could. I'm sorry, but you _knew_ I had to fight a kriffing _krayt_ dragon!"

"They _tortured her!"_ Anakin launched his attack to the younger teen, who lowered her saber and did the first thing she thought of.

She lowered herself onto her haunches, separated her sabers, and _growled._

It was the most chilling sound Naruto had ever made.

Anakin flinched.

"You do this, you'll be expelled from the Order. You'll lose me. And if you keep this up, I'll use _that_ ability on _you,"_ Naruto _snarled,_ her animalistic tendencies surfacing in a very violent way. "I just crawled into the stomach of a kriffing _krayt dragon,_ killed it, and stole the pearls. I'm still covered in its kriffing _guts,_ and I would _like_ for you not to slaughter a whole camp full of innocents!"

She turned to the leader. "And YOU! You better not touch the settlement this woman lives in."

Or what? he demanded in Tusken.

Or _I_ will bring Hell onto you, Naruto replied, genuinely pissed. I spared one of your own. We will leave in peace now.

You have earned the favor of Sharad Hett, Jedi girl. What is your true name?

I am Jedi Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto replied, baring her teeth in the semblance of a smile.

He tipped his head, and Naruto backed up. Then she yanked on her confused brother's arm, dragging him from the area.

~:~

Naruto entered the home of Owen Lars, Shmi sleeping in her arms. She was healed up, and Naruto knew they had to leave. Something had happened in the Temple; she needed to go to there immediately with Anakin.

Despite the fact she stank of krayt guts, she didn't exactly have the time to shower in the 'fresher on the moisture farm and they didn't have one on the ship. Her Jedi robes were stowed, and she couldn't get to them because Anakin was sleeping off the rage.

Reaching the Temple, Naruto headed into the Temple, getting disgusted looks from many masters.

When Obi-Wan appeared, his nose immediately curled. They were in the main hall, and several masters and Padawans were walking down the hallway, speaking in hushed voices.

"What is that awful smell?" Obi-Wan demanded.

"I shoved myself down a krayt dragon's throat yesterday," came the answer. "What's wrong?"

Obi-Wan looked sad.

"Master Qui-Gon has joined the Force."

Naruto stilled. "Ah. I - ah, I see."

Obi-Wan looked after her as she walked past him.

"Is there a body?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan, sadness on his own face.

"No," Obi-Wan replied. "He faded when his life left him."

Anakin bowed his head, and he, too walked to his room.


	14. Chapter 14

Naruto was quickly taken under the wing of Master Yoda, who sent her to learn under Obi-Wan with Anakin. The old Master thought she could learn more from Obi-Wan than him; the truth was, Naruto knew that Yoda was busy with other things, like teaching the younglings, and didn't need more added to his workload.

Anakin, Naruto, and Obi-Wan were quickly assigned to the protection of Padme not long after Qui-Gon's death; someone was trying to kill Padme and Bail Organa had demanded a security protection for her.

That meant spending time in the political arena.

Naruto entered the room with Obi-Wan and Anakin, to see Padme talking with someone Naruto knew.

The woman turned, and Naruto saw aqua eyes widen in shock.

Naruto wanted to talk with her, but she knew now was not the time. Kushina's eyes dimmed in sadness, and Kushina walked out, passing Naruto.

Naruto's tail brushed against her mother's, and Naruto's resolve nearly broke.

But Kushina was gone.

Anakin was frowning.

"You know her?" he asked. He'd been walking on eggshells since the Tusken Raider incident.

"I... Knew her a long time ago." Anakin didn't ask what she meant. Naruto had met a lot of people. "Senator, we've been assigned to your protection."

"I don't know why," Padme replied angrily. "I didn't come to Coruscant just to leave it when this bill is just now coming through."

"We know," Anakin said, stepping up and letting Naruto go into the background. "Naruto is just here to make sure you are safe for the duration of the night. She's more attuned to the life and death side of things to do with the Force."

Padme raised an eyebrow at Naruto.

"I have a slight precognition ability," Naruto said with a tight smile. "If something happens that the Force doesn't want to, we'll act accordingly."

The Force was in flux around Padme, though. Well, not in flux; but if she died _now,_ there would be little danger to the Force and all its machinations. But, if she died now without giving Anakin at least a _small_ chance (even though there WAS an age difference, she could tell they were actually crushing on each other), Anakin would kill Naruto.

So, Naruto left them to their devices just as her communicator pinged.

Aurra had given her a new communicator, from both her and Jango. With Naruto's birthday coming soon (although only Anakin, Aurra, and Jango knew it was with Naruto's help), Aurra had figured that giving her a better communicator was a good idea.

Naruto tapped the first button. "Yes?" she asked through it.

"You have a bounty hunter coming your way," Aurra's voice floated over the communicator. "He hates Jedi. Especially your kind of Jedi, the Jedi that makes powerful enemies."

"Am I a threat or something?" Naruto frowned. "I'm not sure I've done many wrong things, lately."

"...you _do_ know that the Zygerrian Empire put out a bounty for your capture, right?"

Naruto stilled. "No. No, I did not." Naruto opened up her connection with the Force. "Do you know this bounty hunter's name?"

"Unless you have ten million credits, you ain't gonna make friends with him," Aurra warned. "He's not a friendly person. His name's Kakuzu, and your bounty's four mil, alive. The senator's is three mil."

"Thanks, Aurra. Any more advice?" Naruto asked her.

"Yeah. Get off of Coruscant. He's either headed there or _there_ now," Aurra said flatly.

"Okay. We're leaving in a few minutes. Any good vacation spots?"

A crackle.

Naruto looked up, seeing someone on the other side.

She managed to avoid the small dart, moving an inch. Sensing no further attacks, Naruto sighed.

"Well, Aurra, I think I need to move to a new planet. Know any good ones?"

~:~

Obi-Wan frowned at Naruto. "Trying to kill _you?"_ he repeated.

Naruto shook her head. "I'm wanted alive by the Zygerrian Empire," she admitted. "If I hadn't gone to Ilum, I wouldn't have known why."

Obi-Wan eyed her. "Does it have anything to do why you're going into the Undercity of Coruscant?"

Naruto winced, but shrugged. "A little. There aren't many whip teachers around, so I've been attending lessons of a master. Can't use the 'light' part of my lightwhip, so I added some cortosis metal to it and made it into two whips." She winced again at Obi-Wan's stare. "Believe me, the cortosis metal did _not_ come cheap. Anyway! I went to the master's place, asked around about the dart, and I came up with a planet name that makes these kind of darts. It's a Kaminoan dart; not really known."

"Let's go to the Archives and -" Obi-Wan started, only to pause at Naruto's smiling face. "You already went."

"Yep. And when I couldn't find the planet, I asked Aurra Sing. She gave me coordinates." Obi-Wan stared at her. "What?"

"You're _still_ in contact with that bounty hunter?" Obi-Wan asked, incredulous.

"Yes, and that's why I dragged you out here," Naruto responded with a frown. "Aurra's dropping by to give us a lift to Kamino. I already cleared it with Master Yoda," Naruto added.

"I want to take my own ship," Obi-Wan said stubbornly.

"I can connect your ship to mine," Aurra Sing said, leaning against the wall. A smile appeared on her face at seeing Naruto. "Hello, brat."

"Aurra!" Naruto hugged the hunter. Then Naruto turned to Obi-Wan. "Please?" she asked, blue eyes wide.

Obi-Wan suddenly realized just _how_ Naruto had become friends with two of the most deadly bounty hunters in the galaxy.

Her blasted _puppy eyes._

They were a devastating attack, and for a second, recalling just how adorable Naruto was eight, he imagined her younger and brighter on Tatooine, with those puppy eyes.

Oh, Force.

"...Okay," he said with a sigh.

Aurra snickered, and Obi-Wan shot her a look that basically said _she got you first._

Aurra scowled.

~:~

"Welcome to the rainiest planet in the galaxy," Aurra said in a rather bored tone. "Jango's waiting for you. Has a surprise he wants you to meet."

Naruto smiled. "He's got a kid, doesn't he?"

Aurra froze, then sighed. "Seriously, all you Jedi and your Force is strange to me."

Naruto smiled again. "I was kidding, but he's got a son! That's amazing!"

Naruto got out of the ship, excitement in her veins. Then she paused, frowning.

She was getting drenched, but she ignored that. Obi-Wan's ship was on a slightly higher level, but she ignored that, too. There was a presence here, a presence the Force wanted her to take notice of.

Naruto walked up. A Kaminoan approached - and Naruto felt them.

Hundreds of minds within the Living Force, suddenly appearing; all with the same signature.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Obi-Wan's question was intended to be a good one, but the young Alderaanian ignored him and smiled at the Kaminoan.

"Welcome, Masters Jedi," the Kaminoan said, gesturing for them to follow. They entered the white hallway - so bright Naruto finally drew up the cowl of the robe and squinted; following the Kaminoan, Naruto asked the one question that she needed to.

"Sorry for asking so rudely, but have you seen this before?" Naruto held up the dart.

The Kaminoan looked mildly surprised as Naruto dropped it in his palm.

"Ah, yes - the most recent shipment made by the Black Sun. Several of our ready-made darts were sent out to them."

Naruto frowned and turned to look at Obi-Wan, whose face held alarm and surprise at the same time.

"I see," Obi-Wan managed. "But we're not here for the dart."

"Mind if I go see Jango?" she asked the Kaminoan, who favored her with a smile.

"No," the Kaminoan said. "You know where he is?"

Naruto nodded. "I can sense living people."

The Kaminoan tipped his head. "An interesting facet of the Force."

Naruto nodded and walked through one of the hallways, fixed on Jango and the presence she was feeling.

She pressed the buzzer on the door she sensed Jango behind and leaned against the wall when it opened.

"Hey, Jango," she greeted with a friendly smile. "It must be just me - or maybe not, considering I have the Force - but I _swear_ that there was a _massive army_ of people with your _exact_ Force signature beneath me." Jango flinched.

"Dad, who is it?"

A little boy appeared, maybe ten or so.

"Wow," Naruto said, impressed despite herself. "You had a kid?" She thought Aurra had been joking.

Jango sighed. "No point in hiding it."

"No, there really isn't," Naruto agreed. "Mind if I come in?"

Jango shook his head. "Just please don't kill anyone," he said to her.

"I don't kill, it's not my policy," Naruto said flatly as she walked in.

The kid looked at her, confused as she walked in and stared at the place around her. It was comfy, and it held two others in the room.

"I told you she'd come," the second one said. Naruto pointed at him.

"YOU!" she said, pointing at him.

"Me," he agreed, his pleasant voice sending shivers down Naruto's spine.

Naruto pretended she wasn't about to melt into a puddle at hearing that soft, quiet voice and tilted her head.

"Who _are_ you?" she asked him. "I know you were at the Temple, but then you freaking _vanished._ What, did you walk through the walls?"

"No, I cloaked myself," he replied. "I was expelled from the Order and was quite curious as to the shift I felt in the Force."

Naruto scowled. "So you _entered my room?"_

He simply smiled at her. "I thought my powers would affect you. Obviously, they did not."

 _Oh, you're affecting me right now. Force, I know I'm a teenage girl, but the Order insists on celibacy. DO NOT GET ATTRACTED TO THIS GUY._

Naruto cleared her throat, then held her hand out. "Naruto Uzumaki."

He grasped her hand. "Itachi Uchiha."

His hand was soft and pale underneath hers.

"Now that you two have stopped flirting -" Naruto ripped her hand away from Itachi's hand as Jango said that, turning away from Itachi with a blush on her face "- Naruto, I'd like you to meet my... Son, Boba, and my newest... _Friend,_ Zam Wessell."

Naruto beamed at Boba. "Hi!" She held out her hand. "I'm a friend of your dad's - I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Nice to meet you," Boba said, smiling at her and grasping her hand.

Naruto then turned to Zam. "Like I said, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Zam Wessell," she said, standing from the couch and grasping her hand firmly. Zam frowned. "Are you a Clawdite?"

"A Claw-? No, even though I think it'd be awesome," Naruto shook her head. "To be able to completely change your race would be an awesome gift."

Zam gave her a very real smile.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, I have to find my bounty and collect it," Itachi said.

Naruto turned to him. There was something bugging her about Itachi.

Then she got it.

"You're a Grey Force user." She blurted it out, having to really _look_ at his color. It was a silver color, and there was a _smooth_ quality in it as other colors seemed to circulate around him.

Everyone in the room looked taken aback at Naruto's exclamation, and Itachi looked at her.

"How did you know?" he questioned, fingers tightening briefly.

"I'm very attuned to the Living Force," Naruto gulped, taking a step back - feeling very threatened by his demeanor.

He relaxed. "I see." He turned and started to leave, but then paused. "The hunter on your... _Tail_ was Kakuzu, wasn't it?"

Naruto nodded, taking another step back for reasons she couldn't explain - it was like his Force presence loomed over her suddenly. Her back hit the wall.

He turned his head, red eyes meeting hers. "Thank you."

He left, and Naruto's legs collapsed under her.

"Force, that was the most intense meeting I have ever had with another Force user," Naruto whispered.

"And highly uncomfortable," Jango grimaced. "You two were flirting."

Naruto rolled her eyes. "As if, Jango. Jedi aren't allowed attachments." Naruto refused to acknowledge the look; but then she pushed her head back and Saw.

 _A green-eyed man sliced down with a blue lightsaber, making the grey around the man before him dissipate._

 _He'd joined the Force._

Naruto doubted the Force was showing her that Itachi was so weak as to fall with one slice; she hadn't fallen from Anakin's slice. But it was clear that the Force _wanted_ her to be there with him.

If she didn't know any better, the Force was trying to get her together with him. But she did.

(Not that she was claiming she knew exactly what the Force wanted, exactly; but she _did_ know that the Force wasn't lobbying for two complete strangers to fall in love and have a couple kids, because she was certain that two people could not change the fate of the entire galaxy.)


	15. Chapter 15

Itachi took out his cortosis sword. Despite having a lightsaber, he had found that people made _assumptions_ when he brought it out, and he preferred that if he had to use his lightsaber at all, it was with his cortosis blade.

Naruto ran up beside him, and he quietly sighed.

"You do not need to be here," he said, glancing at the younger girl.

Her ears rose, and a frown appeared on her face.

"Don't tell me what to do," she said stiffly. Her ears bent a little as Itachi felt a flash of annoyance. "The Force told me to come here."

She took out a piece of thin metal - and Itachi's eyes widened briefly before he frowned.

"How did you get the cortosis metal?"

"I bought it on Coruscant. Don't worry, it's not _just_ a regular whip," the Jedi informed him curtly.

A lightsaber appeared in the distance.

"I knew if I followed that other bounty hunter here that she would lead me to you," the man said, never taking his eyes off of Naruto.

Itachi heard Naruto snort. "Yeah, yeah - I'm worth more to you _alive,_ though, right?"

"True," Kakuzu replied, his green eyes glaring. "But Itachi Uchiha is worth more _dead."_

"Too bad that's not going to happen," Naruto said.

Itachi glanced at Naruto, who's whip now had two tails; however, one of them was considerably longer and was glowing more than the other one.

"A Jedi with a vibrowhip," Kakuzu rumbled. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Guess again, Sithspawn," Naruto snarled. "It's a _lightwhip."_

Itachi smirked faintly. "Naruto, perhaps you shouldn't tell him how rare a lightwhip is." He turned to the bounty hunter. "Unfortunately for you, Kakuzu, the Banking Clan wants only a certain piece of you." He lifted his cortosis blade and sped up his body's momentum using the Force; Kakuzu barely parried his first strike with the lightsaber. "Naruto. Tell me something - is this man Force-sensitive?"

"Nope!" Naruto called, using her lightwhip to take off one of his arms.

Itachi shoved a hand behind him, shoving Naruto back with the Force.

"What's the big idea?!" Naruto snapped at him.

"I can do this on my own, Jedi," Itachi replied, twisting around and kicking Kakuzu back. "Kakuzu, I'm afraid it's time to end this. You are not a Force wielder, therefore you are unable to comprehend my power." He wasn't being arrogant; he'd delved into facets of the mystery of the Force that Kakuzu couldn't get a grasp on. He called up one such power considered Dark and Sith: Force Lightning.

He shocked the bounty hunter, feeling no hate or any emotion as he did so, detaching himself from the hunter.

Kakuzu was an older sentient, so his death was practically instant as Itachi shocked him. Had he been a Force wielder - even an untrained one - there was a good chance he might have survived.

Itachi left the lightsaber there, turning to see Naruto staring at him with an emotion that didn't suit her lovely face.

 _Fear._ But... It was somehow different. She seemed to be afraid of him; but... There was confusion, fear, and something else on her face. _Wonder._

Seeing him look at her, she scrambled back, her ears pressed tightly to her skull.

His abilities; then.

"Please, stop glaring at me with your eyes - the Force is reacting -"

He always knew Force sensitives always reacted badly to his eyes, but she was acting dramatic - oh, wait. She'd _sensed_ he was a Grey Jedi; closing his eyes and letting the Force fade a little from him, he opened his eyes to see her look relieved.

She seemed to be halfway _in_ the Force.

"Take the lightsaber to your Temple," he said after a moment. He turned away, ignoring the insistent tug of the Force that seemed to make him want to turn to Naruto and apologize.

~:~

Naruto headed into the main chamber, where her master was waiting patiently. "Master," she greeted Obi-Wan.

"Naruto, this is Lama Su," he told her. "I'd like for you to go with him to see something quite shocking."

"Oh, you mean the army made from a single person's DNA," Naruto said nonchalantly, and gloomily. "Yeah, I sensed it when I came here. They're made from Jango's DNA; they have a similar Force signature."

Key being _similar._ No two people were _exactly_ alike, and Naruto had a feeling it would be that way for clones, too.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Then you understand that I have to leave to report to the Council. Lama Su has suggested you stay for now and meet with some of the clones."

Lama Su smiled as best as he could.

"I'd love to," Naruto said, a genuine smile appearing on her face.

~:~

CT-1111, nicknamed 'One', poked his neighbor, Knuckle, as Lama Su entered the room with a _woman._ Of course the woman had a tail, but she was a _human_ woman entering their space (mostly human, given the tail) nonetheless.

Many eyes looked over to her as she and Lama Su went to the food line and got some food for the girl, who laughed at something the Kaminoan said. Then she and Lama Su walked towards One's and Knuckle's table; One being very conscious of the fact that there was only one seat open next to him.

"- you, Lama Su. I do appreciate this," the young woman said earnestly as she got into One's earshot.

"Do not mention it, Naruto." Lama Su smiled at her. "Do you know when your master will be back?"

"No clue," the woman said, shaking her head. "He said he'll message me if I'm needed. In the meantime, I'd like to help Jango train the army, if that's okay with you?"

Lama Su nodded. "It would be good for them to get used to fighting alongside a Jedi."

A _Jedi_ woman. Still, a woman -

The Jedi slammed her food tray down with unnecessary brutality.

Lama Su looked taken aback.

"First things first," the Jedi next to One said, speaking loudly and addressing the entire canteen of silent clones. "Yes, I am female, and yes, I am in a class of humans. My birthplace was Alderaan. Second thing: I am a Jedi, which means I am automatically under the Order's rule of celibacy. This rule is only bent for _certain_ masters, such as master Ki-Adi Mundi. Thirdly, as a Jedi I'm not supposed to form attachments." The Jedi woman paused. One did not look up in fear of incurring the lady's wrath. "I suck at the third thing, but I'm still a Jedi! One last thing." Her voice got louder. "I CAN HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! I'm not _trying_ to listen in, but really. Please do not think about such things around me. It will not, in the long run, help _anyone."_

Finishing that, the Alderaanian girl sat down.

Lama Su patted her on the shoulder. One held his surprise in.

"Please, tell me if you have any need of anything, Naruto. I will be happy to provide it."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you, Lama Su."

~:~

One got to see the Jedi in action the next morning.

"Bring up the lowest level," she said to one of the Kaminoans. "Please."

Resa Su nodded. Fiddling with controls, the female Kaminoan made fake droids appear. Since the clones used the simulator for target practice, it didn't seem uncommon to bring up fake droids. But there were only a _few_ in the clones' simulations. This army of droids seemed endless.

Naruto took out a metal cylinder and twisted it, breaking it.

"Begin," she said.

Resa Su tapped the button.

Two lightsabers appeared with a _snap-hiss_ that was going to one day soon be the most sought-after sound in the galaxy; the sound that gave _hope._

Half the first line of droids was decimated by a push that shoved them over. They seemed to just die, fading into nothing as the simulator took into account her Force powers.

The other half was chopped into pieces. Blaster fire finally erupted, causing her to deflect them; when she couldn't, she did a roll and started slicing.

Jedi were _definitely_ badass.

More troopers appeared, silently watching as Naruto passed the first level of the simulation with ease, going into the second one, with heavy battle droids.

Then rolling droids they'd never seen before appeared.

Naruto kept deflecting; there was no way to get past the shields. Then, all of a sudden -

"Simulation Failed," the simulation lady said, the room going dark.

Naruto exited, looking at all of them. "Let this be a lesson to you: Jedi make mistakes."

One blinked. He knew Jedi weren't infallible; but seeing it -

"I was just shot by a rolling death ball, and then three more shots hit me here, here, and here." Naruto pointed at three spots on her chest. "Jedi may act all-knowing, but we are _not_ invulnerable and we _can_ get killed." Her seriousness was matched in her eyes. "Now, which squad wants to go first in the simulator?" She grinned almost evilly.


	16. Chapter 16

Naruto's right eye twitched. The Kaminoans had an elite squad of soldiers that left their allies in the dirt when they fell down and could be saved.

"Keep this squad in the sim room; I'll be back in a few minutes."

Naruto jogged out of the area; luckily for her, Lama Su was coming by to see their progress.

Quickly, Naruto spoke about what she wanted to teach the clones about their brethren.

Lama Su, while perhaps not understanding, nodded and showed her to a room. Automatically, a suit of clone trooper armor appeared. Naruto stepped in it, nodded her thanks to Lama Su, cloaked herself in the Force, then told Resa what to do while not letting the other clones see her. Resa nodded and ordered the first clone squad in, this time with Naruto as an extra.

Keeping count, Naruto died three times with Squad 1, two with Squad 2, nine with Squad 3...

When the sims were over, the clones were angry and demanded Resa for Naruto's whereabouts.

Naruto took off the helmet, and One spotted her.

"Be. Quiet."

Everyone shut up.

"Squad One. I died three times in the three levels. Once because I got shot in the leg, then in the helmet; another because one of your squad members _shot me_ because I'd gotten _grazed_ with a shot, and finally, the third time because you all left me for dead in a barren wasteland." Naruto gazed at them coldly. "You all _failed_ today's lesson. You _never_ leave a comrade behind."

"We're all expendable, Master Jedi," One said. "We're just clones, meant to fight and die for the Republic."

She looked at One.

"One, what do you know about the Force?" she asked, tilting her head.

One swallowed. "Nothing, sir."

Naruto nodded. "I see." She bit her lip. "As a Jedi, I connect to the universe on another level. I sense things that are living; and let me tell you that I also sense 'danger'. A single droid is all it takes to alert me to the danger - I can sense 'possibilities' of my own death." Naruto met his eyes. "I also have the ability to sense when others die. So, tell me, One, if I decided to lop your head off, would you die?"

One nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then you are part of the Force," Naruto said. "And I consider all things part of the Force precious to me. Well," she amended. " _Most_ things. I can't _stand_ awful plants."

Everyone stared at her.

"Oh, come on!" Naruto scowled. "Nobody appreciates my humor. Point is, you're not expendable to me. So, next time - tomorrow morning - we start the sim again. This time, _protect your comrades._ I will be there, watching. And who knows - I might even be there in the sim room, pretending to be one of you." She smiled. "Now, go to your beds and sleep. _Without_ dinner. You can have breakfast tomorrow."

She felt like a mom when she ordered them to bed without dinner.

~:~

Naruto put on the jet trooper armor and test it out with the rest of the jet troopers.

"Naruto, just _what_ are you doing in this room?" Jango asked, scowling at her as she entered in the trooper armor.

"Learning how to properly use a suit of jet trooper armor," Naruto innocently said, giving him the puppy eyes. "I never got a chance to when we were on Mandalore to use _my_ jetpack. You took it away from me, only to give it back in pieces." Naruto stuck the helmet on, being mindful of her ears.

Jango sighed. "Whatever. Naruto, if you would press the button on your wrist - NOT NOW!"

Too late. Naruto pressed the button, activating her jetpack and slamming into the ceiling. Her helmet absorbed some of the impact, but her ears - Jango's voice was very slow as he presumably scolded her.

Jango took the helmet off when he realized she wasn't responding and everyone looked at her ears. They were _flat_ against her head and there was blood coming from the bases.

"Sorry," Naruto muttered. "You never said outside - you should've said outside first." Naruto touched her ears and hissed. "Are they okay?"

Jango looked at her, kind of worried.

"The helmet absorbed most of the impact, but you put a crack in the ceiling and I'm not certain if your skull is more fragile or not," he admitted. "You, CT-5457! Take her to the Kaminoans; they'll patch her up. After you're healed, you and I are going to have a long talk about why you are _never_ going to wear a jet pack again. Got it?" the Mandalorian snapped at his young friend.

Naruto nodded obediently. "Yes, Jango."

~:~

Two rotations later found Naruto packing for a trip to Geonosis; Obi-Wan called her for help, and she needed to aid him.

Jango appeared next to her door.

"Naruto."

Naruto continued packing, well aware of the man's presence.

"Yes, Jango?"

Her skull _had_ sustained damage; thankfully, it was something easily healed by a four-hour bacta-tank sleep and bandages.

"Should I come with?"

Naruto shook her head. "No, Master Obi-Wan sent his droid and ship with him." Naruto turned to him and told him the real reason. "And I think you'll die if you go to Geonosis, Jango."

Jango swallowed. "There's something you need to know. About the clone army."

~:~

Naruto wondered _why_ she even _bothered_ to think everything would go smoothly. Obi-Wan's message had been a trap - a reluctant one, though - to lure her out of the Kamino facilities. Upon arriving, droids had appeared and she'd surrendered; Jango's warning had assured her it was a trap but sometimes - just _sometimes_ \- the teenage Alderaanian wished the Force would make something happen _smoothly._

Anakin was there, as was Padme - Padme had heard of something that was going on in the Senate. Some Senators had whispered it - something was happening on Geonosis.

And now, Anakin was ignoring her presence.

"Padme, just - just take a risk. If it doesn't work out, we can always leave each other later," he begged her.

Naruto refrained from making the comment that was on the tip of her tongue. Anakin didn't need a 'Jedi are old virgins in robes' comment, especially since that wasn't technically true.

Padme sighed.

"Fine."

Naruto was dragged out of her cell, the two lovebirds ignoring her in favor for staring dreamily into each other's eyes. Then, they were shoved on the back of the carriage thing, and they kissed as the doors opened.

Naruto beamed at seeing Master Obi-Wan. She didn't even mind being chained to the post right there, relieved to have finally been able to get away from the two lovebirds.

"Thank the Force you're here," she said to her master. "I didn't want to die with these two Jedi Code-breakers alone." She was teasing; she didn't want to die without her brother being there and dying with her.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Well, they deserve their moment. It's almost painful watching them flirt."

Naruto fake-gagged as a door opened. She stopped and stared.

"IT'S A FELUCIAN AACKLAY! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE ONE!"

Despite the moment, Naruto couldn't help but admire the beauty of the Felucian Aacklay that was about to kill them.

"Get free _now,_ admire deadly alien creature _later!"_ Obi-Wan snapped.

"Right!" Naruto frowned. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, dislocating her thumb, then slipping out of the chains. Her companions watched as she did so.

"Naruto, did Qui-Gon ever teach you how to bond with animals?" Obi-Wan asked her.

"Yep," Naruto nodded. "I can bond with any ferocious, wild animals. Can't really do anything to non-ferocious, non-attacking beasts." Naruto examined the pole she was on as a nexu was brought out like the Aacklay; a third door opened, and a reek exited that one.

No more doors opened.

"Guess they never planned on you," Obi-Wan remarked.

Naruto shrugged.

Then she took a deep breath, and flicked her hands.

Underneath all her fingernails, a second set of sharper nails rested. Naruto had found this curious thing about her biology when she'd had a drink of a weird, alcohol-type Rodian drink she couldn't remember the name of while having dinner on Rodia. Border dispute dinners were always fun. Last thing she remembered about that night was that she was digging her nails into the ceiling and nearly falling.

She dug her hands into the wooden pole and started to drag herself up, Anakin pausing in fighting his chains to stare at her.

Naruto knew she couldn't get to the reek - it wasn't territorial enough, even half-starved. She got to the top of her pole and sat down, holding her hands out.

Because she was half-feral creature, she had always connected with them more than the animals who were pretty harmless.

Naruto connected with the nexu first- poor thing, it had been _starved!_ Same with the Aacklay and, surprisingly, the reek.

Naruto made them aim for her instead of Obi-Wan, her brother, or Padme. Then, as the Aacklay went down to kill her and the nexu clawed its way up, the reek slamming its head on the bottom of her pole, she subtly changed the scent of most appealing thing from the humans with meat on them to the Geonosians; the reek was first to stop; then the Aacklay. The nexu was the hardest to convince, but in the end it's starvation was how it survived.

The nexu leaped off, and all three of the beasts turned toward their former Geonosian masters.

Naruto took out her lightsaber from where it was hidden and leaped down, walking over to Obi-Wan and slicing his chains apart; then she looked over at Padme, who had a gun out, and Anakin, who had already freed himself.

"Why did you have to play the part of damsel in distress?" Naruto asked Obi-Wan.

"Unlike Anakin and Padme, I was taken by Dooku," Obi-Wan snippily responded. "How did _you_ get caught?"

"I announced myself over the radio," Naruto replied. "Trying to contact _you._ How did you get caught by Dooku? Jango said he was a Sith lord, but I don't think even you would get ambushed by one."

"I didn't know he was a Sith," Obi-Wan scowled. "All I knew was that Dooku had left the Order."

"Ah, he was a former Jedi then." Naruto separated her lightsabers. "Here." She tossed him one of her sabers, and he caught it and ignited it. "Anakin!"

Anakin looked at her. Naruto flung her other lightsaber. Anakin caught it and ignited it, a grin coming on his face.

Naruto took out her lightwhip; she sensed the reek's death and turned, her pupils becoming vertical as she joined with the consciousness of the nexu; the nexu had eaten and now was thoroughly enjoying ripping Geonosian warriors apart as they flooded the arena.

Naruto turned her lightwhip on and joined the frenzy, a feral grin on her face.


	17. Chapter 17

Anakin glanced at his sister. Her whip glowed in the arena, despite it being orange and almost matching Naruto as she swung it, fighting side by side with the dangerous nexu.

If any Jedi _were_ coming, they would probably congratulate Naruto on being herself as well as the animal, then promptly tell her to find her own way back to the temple.

Padme stood at his back, firing shots at the other Geonosians.

"Is this what you do on a daily basis?" Padme asked him during a tiny break.

"It's actually far less exciting," Anakin replied.

They were forced to push back, until Naruto was forced to deactivate her lightwhip and use the Force to push them back; even that didn't last long as more doors opened and a flood of droids came in with the intent to kill.

Silence reigned upon the arena as the Jedi, Senator, and nexu stood in the center, lightsabers activated, simply waiting.

The droids locked on, hundreds of weapons clicking on at one time.

Naruto looked up. "We'll be fine. They're coming."

Before Anakin could ask 'who', he sensed the presence of several Jedi; of which included masters and Padawans.

Dropships appeared. Troops in white armor exited the dropships with the Jedi masters, assembling around the group in the middle.

"No," Naruto said, patting the nexu. "You can't eat them. Don't worry, you'll be back on Cholganna eating other creatures soon~" She said it in a cooing voice.

"What about the acklay?" Anakin wondered, not seeing it around.

"I guess it must have found a way out," Naruto shrugged. "Not our problem right now."

"True," conceded the other Jedi. "But still, now we're in an even greater deadlock. You don't have a weapon, and if you did, we'd be without a weapon."

Naruto snorted, then moved, leaping upon the nexu.

"I'm not without a weapon," Naruto grinned. "Come on, sweetheart!"

The nexu growled, then leaped powerfully over the clones, pouncing on the droids, heading towards the one person in the crowd that was human, and the human both the nexu and Naruto wanted to pay.

Dooku.

~:~

Mace Windu handed Anakin and Obi-Wan their lightsabers. It hadn't taken much to find them; the weren't hidden very well. Anakin thanked him quickly and darted off, heading to protect the Senator as Naruto's lightsabers were summoned by the mysteriously absent teen Jedi.

"Where is Naruto?" Mace yelled at Obi-Wan.

"Riding a nexu and after Dooku!" was what Mace _thought_ he heard. But no, it had to be wrong - there was no way that Naruto would be riding a _nexu._

Because nexus were deadly; that's why Windu hoped Obi-Wan was just kidding.

Looking at his face, Windu knew he wasn't.

He pointed at several clones. "All of you, go into the fortress and attempt to find Naruto! She's a Jedi and has a tail!"

"Yes, sir!" the clones nodded, running off to find the wayward Padawan.

~:~

Naruto spun around, her sabers glancing off of Dooku's. Her nexu prowled far behind her, told to stay behind unless Naruto was incapacitated.

Dooku smirked and flung a powder at Naruto; Naruto inhaled half of it and coughed.

The human retreated hastily to his ship, while Naruto continued to cough as the powder burned its way down her lungs.

Her nexu ally purred and nudged her; Naruto shook her head and gave a couple little coughs.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," she said, patting her on the head. The nexu was apparently a female; she purred and licked Naruto's face. "Sweetheart, why -"

The nexu purred.

"Oh - you like 'Sweetheart' as your name?" The nexu brushed her head on the teen's. "Alright, Sweetheart," Naruto smiled.

Clones appeared, Sweetheart growling and glaring.

"Sweetheart, it's okay!" Naruto reassured her. Sweetheart calmed almost instantly and Naruto brushed her mind with the Force. "Hello, One," she greeted the clone she'd met on Kamino. "Knuckle." She nodded at the second trooper. "One, Knuckle, meet Sweetheart. She's just a sweetie~ Don't antagonize her, or you'll probably die."

"General Windu asked us to retrieve you," the clone responded. "Where is the Sith?"

"Gone," Naruto said, scowling. "Let's go back."

~:~

TWO WEEKS LATER, CATO NEIMOIDIA

"Did you use the powder that we acquired for you?" Nute Gunray asked the Sith Lord.

"I had to. The blasted Alterian wouldn't leave me alone," Darth Tyrannus replied angrily. "What exactly was the powder?"

"A highly concentrated dose of a terminal illness that's caused by the _kokujin_ plant on Alderaan. It's called _kokujin no byouki."_ A rather beautiful-looking blue flower appeared on the screen. "The only remedy is found, of course, on Alderaan."

"Then the time has come to make an ally on that planet," the Sith replied darkly before terminating the contract.

Nute Gunray looked at the description of the illness; the Alterian would start suffering from coughing fits before she went to throwing up; then she would slip into a coma-like state - awake, but unable to move.

He'd gotten paid, but the flower would be useful in the future - maybe. If it didn't, then he would scrub the databanks of the entire Trade Federation.


	18. Chapter 18

Sitting in one room, Naruto thought on the course of her future. Around her, several Padawans also sat and meditated, Anakin being one of them. The Tranquility Spire was so named for what went on in there - simple meditation.

Yet one could only meditate for so long.

Naruto's eye opened to glare at Padawan Anora Kyorsk, a Twi'lek Coruscanti native, who had pushed a single ball of lint over to hit Naruto's face with the Force.

Lint and dust were the only items in the Spire, as their lightsabers had been taken by their masters; so as the night fell over the Spire, the Padawans who didn't really know each other all participated in a pretty silent lint war. While doing so, Naruto missed her nexu Sweetheart - she'd gone back to Cholganna to live; last Naruto had heard, it had missed her desperately, nearly eating one of the ship workers.

After the lint had gone into the air duct, Naruto and Anora sat next to each other. Naruto coughed a couple times, then smiled at Anora.

"So... I realize Anakin and I never really did that much socializing with others our age here in the Temple." Anora glanced at her. "And I never really got to talk to you. I mean, I've learned several languages _including_ Twi'leki, but never spoke to many."

Anora smiled. "I've heard a lot about you, Naruto. You and Anakin - many of our age were jealous when you arrived, wanting a master like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan; I've heard you have done some pretty cool things here. I recall you from our lightsaber duels, but other than that I don't know a lot about you."

"Nor I you," Naruto admitted. "So whatever's about to happen later, can we be friends?"

Anora nodded, holding out her purple hand.

Naruto shook it, then coughed again, clearing her throat.

Anora looked a little worried.

"Do you need a med droid?" she asked. "Or one of the Temple Healers?"

Naruto shook her head. "Just a small cough I've had since Geonosis - I went to the healers and they said I was perfectly fine."

Anora frowned. "That's just a bad cough, then?"

Naruto nodded. "Just a bad cough."

Anora didn't look like she believed Naruto at all.

~:~

After the night had finally passed, the young students all traveled in a line, tallest to shortest. Much to Naruto's chargin, she was the shortest. And _not_ the youngest.

Anakin was the tallest.

Anakin was called first into the Hall of Knighthood, Naruto's heart starting to race. She had pinned her hair back for this, keeping her Jedi braid separated from the rest of her hair (which made it difficult to wash, but Naruto had managed it) and she was relieved to find out that she no longer had to keep it in a long ponytail or make a second, bigger braid to distinguish her Padawan braid.

Anora was called next, then the line kept going.

Finally, Naruto entered the room when her name was called.

Following her instincts, Naruto knelt on one knee inside the chamber, her dual lightsaber sitting in front of the space she was to kneel in,the lightwhip she'd made wrapped around from it. One at a time, the Masters of the Jedi Council ignited their lightsabers.

Yoda spoke, his words guided by the Force.

"We are all Jedi. The Force speaks through us. Through our actions, the Force proclaims itself and what is real. Today we are here to acknowledge what the Force has proclaimed." Yoda focused on Naruto, placing his lightsaber above her shoulder. "Naruto Uzumaki, by the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee Jedi, Knight of the Republic." He moved his saber and cut off her braid.

Master Yoda deactivated his lightsaber as Naruto took her own. She stopped next to Obi-Wan and handed him her braid, having no need of it.

For a moment, both Knight and Master stared at each other, both wishing that although today was an excellent day, that Qui-Gon was here to see Naruto's Knighting as he'd been there to see Obi-Wan's.

Then she walked out, to the other Knights, and was greeted with smiles.

Today was a day for celebration, not mourning.

~:~

Naruto was walking from her whip lessons (that sounded _totally_ wrong) when someone tapped her on the shoulder. A Mirialan looked quite anxious.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but the wedding officiate hasn't come to my friend's wedding and - well, I was wondering, you as a Jedi - could you officiate a wedding?"

Naruto swallowed. "Um - possibly?" She knew she _could,_ because it was in the Archives, but if the wedding officiate wasn't there, then Naruto didn't want to start a bad feud between anyone and the Jedi -

"Oh, please!" the Mirialan begged. "I've looked up all the legal ramifications of a Jedi officiating a ceremony and there are none if it's the will of the Jedi and not forced. _Please."_

The Mirialan looked desperate.

Naruto hesitated, but the Force urged her to go.

"Okay," she relented. She gasped in surprise as the Mirialan shouted something indistinguishable, and a speeder hovered near the walkway. The Mirialan hopped in first, and Naruto went second, re-arranging her tail.

"My name's Reeva Demesne!" the Mirialan called. "Sorry to bother you like this!"

"It's not a problem!" Naruto replied. "Just - remind me to stay away from any alcohol!"

Reeva nodded.

~:~

Galen Erso and his to-be-wife, Lyra, watched as a cab driver entered in and hurried up to them.

"Your friend told me she found someone to officiate the wedding, but the person has to get her spare clothes on," he said before bowing and walking out.

Lyra frowned. "Do you think she kidnapped an officiate?"

"No," Galen replied. "Definitely not."

Their attention was once again brought to the back as Reeva entered, walking to her seat, and a young woman entered.

Homespun robes, two lightsabers and a cloak over her body indicated that the young woman was a Jedi, and both Galen and Lyra glanced at Reeva in shocked awe. The Mirialan winked and smiled smugly as the Jedi stood where the officiant was supposed to. The man registering the wedding stared at her.

"So, I'm supposed to sign this, right?" the Jedi asked, breaking the blanket of silence. "I'm not a Jedi Master or anything - are you _sure_ a Jedi Knight can do this? I'm Naruto, by the way," she added.

Galen and Lyra both looked at the registrar.

"Yes," the human male said in a squeaky voice. "To both."

Naruto nodded and smiled, signing it with a flourish.

"So, am I supposed to say stuff now?" she asked the registrar.

"The officiate had the book he was going to read from," the registrar replied.

"So... I guess I get to wing it, then."

None of them noticed the wedding being recorded as the Jedi Knight coughed before disinfecting her hands with some wipes that were placed around the room, then touching Galen's shoulder and Lyra's shoulder with each of her hands. She was _barely_ able to do that comfortably.

"Do you," she asked Galen, before freezing and looking at him in confusion. Lyra giggled a little.

"Galen Erso," she whispered. "Born on planet Grange. I'm Lyra - no surname - born on Aria Prime."

"Thank you," the Jedi said with a grin. "Do you, Galen Erso of Grange, take Lyra of Aria Prime as your lawful wife?"

"I do," Galen said, for once not minding the touch of someone else.

"Do you, Lyra of Aria Prime, take Galen Erso as your lawful husband?"

Lyra nodded, smiling bigger.

"Do you believe that you are meant to be together?" Her serious statement made Galen and Lyra blink, but both answered in the affirmative.

Naruto closed her eyes.

"I see you two, entwined as one in the Force. Galen, Lyra - you may kiss each other and become one in the Force," Naruto said, opening her eyes. A feeling of great joy flooded through both Galen and Lyra; and both kissed. Naruto took her hands off of their shoulders, but the joy never stopped.

"As a Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order, I declare you married!" Naruto proclaimed.

Applause flooded the room.

~"~

Lyra and Galen approached the Jedi, who had been shooing away all the guests that had been coming to _her_ rather than the two married humans and asking her a lot of questions.

Galen coughed, and the Jedi looked up from her lonely-looking cup of sparkling cider.

"No alcohol?" Lyra asked before her husband could ask the Jedi his question.

Naruto winced. "Last time I had alcohol, I was on Rodia and I ended up on the ceiling. I _still_ can't remember what happened later." At their shocked looks, Naruto shrugged. "It was one of those many border disputes that, sadly, I can never get out of."

"I see," Lyra said.

"Can I see you use the Force on a kyber crystal?"

Lyra hit him, but the Jedi shrugged.

"I guess it's lucky the masters let me keep the saber I brought from Kamino," she heard her mutter. Naruto brought it from underneath her cloak, and hesitated.

"I'm not entirely comfortable in this setting," she said to Lyra and Galen.

"There's another room," Lyra said, recalling the unused antechamber.

"Great! Where?" Naruto asked.

"Here." Lyra showed them the antechamber, and Naruto relaxed a little bit.

"Okay." The doors closed. Naruto tossed the lightsaber into the air, and it hovered.

Both Galen and Lyra turned to see Naruto standing there, her eyes closed and face wiped of emotion, before switching their gazes to the lightsaber.

The pieces of the lightsaber were set down, and the kyber crystal seemed to pulse as Naruto made it turn in the air.

Then the lightsaber re-assembled itself back to how it was, and Naruto opened her eyes.

"That is how you make a lightsaber. Also - that crystal in there may have _responded_ to me, but it's not _my_ crystal." She bit her lip.

"The crystal chooses the Jedi, then," Lyra said quietly.

"Yes!" Naruto grinned at her. "With a few exceptions," she added with a slight falter of her lips. "Anyway - I should -"

Her communicator beeped.

She pushed the button.

"Naruto, hurry and get to the Senate building. There's trouble brewing in the Senate, and we need to be there for this meeting."

"Yes, Master." Naruto stood, then looked at Lyra and Galen. "I think we'll meet again," she said the them before racing out of the room.

Lyra smiled. "I think we will," she nodded to herself.


	19. Chapter 19

Obi-Wan and Mace Windu both waited for the three they'd called - Yoda, Naruto, and Anakin. Those three were the only ones they could meet.

The Grand Master of the Jedi Order entered, flanked by Naruto and Anakin.

"Masters," Naruto and Anakin said in unison as they stepped into the pod. Yoda moved to the front.

"We no longer support the ideals of the Republic," A Rodian Senator proclaimed. "We of the Savereen System will join the Separatists."

The Rodian Senator's pod was directed to the wall again, and the five Jedi watched with grim faces.

"What about Alderaan?" Naruto whispered to Obi-Wan, who smiled a bit tightly.

"Alderaan hasn't said anything yet."

Another pod moved forward, declaring its neutrality.

"This is not good," Naruto whispered.

~:~

"Sasori!" A blonde human slammed into the workshop of the two Sith scientists, one of whom disliked the one that had just come in, but would not dare mess with him. Kabuto Yakushi glanced up and stared at the demolitions expert, Deidara, the lover of Sasori; Sasori, the master of the Sith laboratory. In the name of science, all things were done.

"What is it?" Sasori demanded. He finished an experiment, looking dissatisfied with the result and dismissing it. "Karin, come here and clean this up." He turned away from the redheaded Alterian who had been picked up from Alderaan not long ago for use of her Shatterpoint ability (which worked best on living subjects).

"The master came and ordered me to tell you to find a way to make this into a vapor." He set the package of powder in Sasori's hands.

Karin, spotting it, shrieked and dropped the failed experiment. Luckily, it did nothing then give off a putrid fume. Sasori glanced at her.

"What?" he said angrily.

"It only kills Altarians," Karin responded shakily, looking afraid of it.

Sasori sniffed and tossed it into the incinerator, where the flames burned brightly. Karin clamped her mouth and nose shut as Sasori hurried to shut the incinerator door.

Sasori fixed her with a dark glare. "Drop another experiment and you'll have a turn in the dungeon."

Kabuto smirked to himself.

"Kabuto."

Kabuto looked up. Sasori's eyes glared at him. Kabuto shuddered.

"Yours is about to explode."

Kabuto scowled and hastily added several ingredients to his to prevent the explosion.

Deidara smirked as he left.

Because Sasori held lots of his own secrets, when Darth Sidious had demanded him join his team of scientists, Sasori's condition was that Deidara lived. No assassination attempts, no nothing. Upon asking why he should keep Deidara alive, Sasori had basically threatened the Sith Lord's life.

Instead of killing Sasori _and_ Deidara, the Sith had merely been amused; he'd allowed Sasori to live with Deidara.

Breaking Karin had been easy for the people in the dungeon. They were experts, commissioned from the Black Sun. Not talented in the Force, but neither was Sasori and he was unforgiving to even Deidara. Deidara, though wasn't stupid enough to make such mistakes. The bomber liked making things explode; but if it was in Sasori's vicinity Sasori would usually hit him punishingly.

Of course, _as_ Sasori's lover, Deidara was quite high on the food chain. He was the one who submitted designs on the bombs the newly-made Separatists were making. Sasori had a firm hold on him, and therefore meant that Sasori would tell him to do something and Deidara would do it.

Sasori sent something through the HoloNet, hidden so only Sidious could find it.

And when he got a reply, Sasori got Karin's attention.

"Karin."

Karin looked at Sasori as she finished incinerating the failed experiment.

"I want the Uzumaki Jedi." He fixed his eyes on the pale Alterian. "And you will die if you don't get her."

Karin swallowed.

~:~

"You will be leading a battalion of clone troopers each," Master Windu said, gazing at each of them. The Knights and Masters stood at attention. "Master Yoda has given you your assignments. Three Republic systems have been taken over; the Knight assigned to Lothal is Naruto. You will be in charge of taking out the opposition. Skywalker, you are assigned to Felucia. Anora Kyorsk, you are assigned to Ord Carida. Now go. May the Force be with you."

The three Knights bowed and walked off, eyes watching them.

Naruto's heart beat faster as she stepped on the transport that would drop Anora off first with her captain; Naruto nodded at her and said the traditional parting. "May the Force be with you, Anora Kyorsk."

"May the Force be with _you,_ Naruto Uzumaki." Anora held out a purple hand, and Naruto shook it. Naruto did not peer into the Force; she didn't want to see Anora's fate in case it was a bad one.

Anora stepped off.

Naruto and Anakin regarded each other in silence. Then, in front of the captains that would be going with Naruto and Anakin, the siblings embraced, Naruto and Anakin communicating through telepathy.

 _I'm scared, Ani._ Naruto hugged him tighter. _I'm_ terrified.

 _If you need anything, Naruto - you know where to find me. In your mind, in your heart, and in the Force._ Anakin and Naruto stepped back. _I'm scared, too, Naruto. But we can do this. We_ have _to do this._

Naruto nodded. _For the Republic._

The transport stopped, and Anakin and Naruto clasped hands. Her things were already on the bigger transport, as it would be her home for a while. Her sabers, whip, and armor rested inside the truffle chest (empty of truffles) in her room.

"May the Force be with you, older brother," Naruto said, gripping his hand as hard as she could.

"May the Force be with you, little sister." They didn't move; then Naruto backed out of the transport, watching as it rose and Anakin was gone.

The second transport, the shuttle that would take them into space and on their ship, had two sets of windows. And controls.

"That's the emergency control center." The clone pilot strapped in. "Take a good look at Coruscant, General - you won't see it for a while."

Naruto stared at it.

"Yeah," she exhaled. "May the Force be with us."

~:~

Admiral Dex glanced at One. Naruto was eyeing the fleet of Separatist ships, and had been thinking.

"Okay," she said after a moment. "I got it."

She turned and grinned impishly at One and Dex.

"Let's surrender."

"WHAT?!" Dex yelled, not believing this. "Are you crazy? No offense, sir - but that's a Separatist fleet. Who knows who they have in charge."

Naruto gave him another grin. "Let's find out!" she said, practically bouncing in place. "Also - only in front of the others, call me General. Call me Naruto otherwise. Admiral, hail them!"

"Yes, sir - Naruto." Dex flipped buttons. Their hail went unanswered for a few minutes. Naruto hopped up on the tactical table, disrupting the holograms as she smiled at the screen.

A Neimoidian appeared, looking... Well, Naruto honestly thought all Neimoidians looked smug; she could bet, though, that the Neimoidian had been running around with his head cut off not ten minutes before.

"Hi!" she smiled. "I'm General Naruto Uzumaki. I'm surrendering my vessel. Would you like to board this vessel to ensure our cooperation?" The alien looked stunned.

"Of course," he said. "We will be boarding in an hour. Keep your vessel going until you reach us."

Naruto beamed. "Roger that~" she said in a sing-song voice. The communication turned off. Naruto's smile turned into an evil little smirk. "Who on this ship is good with re-wiring things?" she asked, rubbing her hands together with a little cackle.

Dex and One seemed to _get it._

"...you're going to command the Separatist fleet."

"I'm going to do my best, yes." Naruto had a thought. "So, what's the name of this vessel?" She questioned to pass the time.

"It's usually christened after a battle," Dex replied carefully. "And that's if it remains intact."

Naruto nodded. "Alright. Assemble all technician and slicers; we're going to do this fast."

~:~

Anakin sighed as he found out the ETA of the Republic's arrival to Felucia was two standard days. Naruto was already at Lothal, possibly; it was just in the Mid Rim while Felucia was in the Outer Rim.

"Sir, there's been a slight problem," Rex said.

"Oh? What's that?" asked Anakin, looking at the clone.

"Well, sir - it seems that our coordinates given matched the ones given to General Uzumaki, sir."

Anakin smirked to himself. "Oh? Shouldn't we be there by now, then?"

"We are, sir. They just had a video of us being in hyperspace so that you wouldn't be mad." Rex swallowed.

Anakin smiled. "Hail them; make sure to stay out of the Separatists' sights."

Rex coughed. "She hailed you, sir."

Anakin rolled his eyes, following Rex to the bridge.

"Little sister, it's been twelve hours!" he greeted.

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "Look, we fake-surrendered, and I need to know if you can help with coding something." She seemed a little nervous. "We have our technicians working on it, but you know. Droid armies are so finicky."

Anakin stared at her. "You're _kriffing_ crazy, you know that?"

Naruto beamed. "But you have to admit, it's a brilliant idea. Taking out the droid army - _using_ it." She nodded to herself. "Using the Separatists' army against them. Could you help a little with that?"

"Maybe. I'd have to get the actual coding from the actual ship." Anakin frowned. "Where's the Separatist war admiral?"

"We put him in the brig, with his compatriots," Naruto told him. "If I get the coding from one of the tech's minds, can you help me through it?"

"Wait - you're talking about another aspect of the Living Force?"

Naruto shook her head. "I'm going to extend my telepathy to the technician, then I'm going to guide him through the work. I'm not going to control him. Not even _I_ can do that."

Anakin nodded his assent. "Like I said, maybe. If you can, what next?"

"I'll tell Master Windu that I'm done and heading to Felucia," Naruto shrugged. "So let's get this done."

Anakin nodded. "Get me a holopad," he ordered one of the bridge crew, sitting down and focusing on his sister's mind.

~:~

Naruto focused on being the bridge between her brother and the clone.

 _Almost done,_ Anakin said through her mind. _Try this._

A wave of numbers were sent through her mind, slipping from hers to the clone tech's.

Then it was over. The experience had been quite strange, as Naruto had never connected to another's mind before that _wasn't_ Force-sensitive (Sweetheart the nexu didn't count).

"Alright, operation successful. Now, I have to go talk to Master Windu."

She called him through the holocommunicator.

 _Anakin, you better go._

 _On my way there,_ Anakin replied. _See you. May the Force be with you._


	20. Chapter 20

Mace Windu answered the first call in the council.

"Yes, Knight Uzumaki? Do you need reinforcements?"

The Jedi Knight shook her head. "No, Master, thank you. Just came to tell you that Lothal is free of Separatist occupation."

Windu looked at her in disbelief.

"And just how did you accomplish that?"

Naruto looked proud of herself. "We took over a Separatist fleet! Using my telepathy, I connected with Anakin and we took over a Separatist fleet." She paused. "That's okay, right? You said to _stop_ the occupation. This way, less lives are in the balance."

"It was smart," Windu acknowledged. "But you know that doing that won't work a second time."

"Yeah, I do," Naruto nodded. "Should we go to a different system?"

Windu nodded. "Backup Knight Kyorsk at Ord Carida."

"Yes, Master!" Naruto nodded. "And - my ship name? Can I name it the _Endurance?"_

Windu sighed, but nodded his head again.

~:~

Anora flew her fighter around. She wasn't as attuned to the Force like her fellow Knights; she didn't sense infinitesimal changes in the Force. She was one of those Jedi who preferred books to combat, set on learning more to understand the Force better.

Since the holocrons were forbidden for the Knights - anyone below Master rank - Anora aimed to be a Master. As soon as she trained another person, she would be a master; then, she would be able to access the holocrons.

She waited for the 'right' time to push the trigger - then gaped as a droid made the one she was about to destroy explode.

"What?" she asked before a familiar voice came over the radio.

"This is General Naruto Uzumaki of the _Endurance._ Anora, you all right? We brought some back up."

More fighter pilots came out.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Anora felt like laughing. "You coming out to fight with me?"

"Yep!" Was it Anora's imagination, or was Naruto's voice an octave higher? Anora saw another fighter like hers and felt amusement as Naruto looked _sick._ "I'm fighting... And I have no idea how to fly this thing!" Anora chuckled. Then opened her mouth as Naruto screamed and plummeted.

"General -"

"Naruto -"

~:~

Naruto looked around the cockpit. She couldn't hear her group. Her tail shifted, her ears plastered against her skull.

 _Force help me. I really need help._

~:~

Itachi just _happened_ to be carrying a shipment of glitterstim to Ord Carida when he happened upon the battle.

"Oh dear," his companion, a droid named K-45 said. "Should we leave?"

Itachi shook his head. "I need the money this shipment will give me." He reached out with the Force, intending on clearing a path, when a feel of someone scared and mentally flipping out stopped him in his tracks.

His lips quirked up a little.

He supposed he could help out. He backtracked, away from the battle, and surrounded her mind. Quickly, he took control of her body - easy, since her mind was flooded with fear - and pulled the ship up.

 _Itachi?_ Her mental voice sounded small.

 _Yes, little Jedi?_ He asked her.

 _What are you doing to my body?_

 _Saving your life. Crash course in flying a fighter ship: DON'T LOSE FOCUS. You'll die. As soon as I'm assured you're not going to die, I'll release you._

Naruto sent some acknowledgment his way, and he started directing her how to shoot targets. She learned fast, and slowly, Itachi relinquished his control over her until she was doing it herself.

 _Thank you, Itachi._ Her mental voice was very warm.

 _Don't mention it,_ Itachi replied, withdrawing completely.

Naruto's Force presence was bright; almost _too_ bright. Itachi opened his eyes, sighing.

He forced himself to think of his job, and only his job. He turned his ship to go around Ord Carida, ignoring the space battle.

~:~

Ord Carida itself was a peaceful planet, home to hundreds of Caridans, large, mammalian species. They were primarily a militaristic planet, but they didn't flaunt it like some worlds did.

But the Separatists had taken these over, shooting and killing all who resisted and forcibly enlisting the citizens.

It was a Caridan that had enlisted these citizens.

"So what's our plan?" Naruto asked Anora.

Anora looked panicked. "I don't do well with thinking of plans on the spot! I had my admiral for that!"

Naruto and Anora looked helplessly at each other.

"Hopeless for Jedi, aren't they?" Mixer asked One.

"I'd agree with you had it not been for the fact _my_ Jedi took over an entire Separatist fleet by tricking him," One said with a grin.

"That's it!" Naruto said, eyes lighting up. "How about we sneak into the Academy?"

"How?" Mixer questioned her rudely.

"Easy," Naruto shrugged. "I mean, it'll take a few days, but I can get in, be a fake cadet, and get you in."

"Interesting, but you have a tail," Anora pointed out. "And I'm a Twi'lek."

Naruto paused, thinking.

Then, as one, Anora and Naruto turned to Mixer and One, identical evil grins on their faces.

"Oh, I think I'll grow to hate that look," One said with a resigned sigh.

~:~

One clicked his comm. device on, instantly regretting it when Naruto's chatter came in his ear.

"Are you in? Hm? I haven't heard back from you all day!"

"I'm fine, General," he said quietly. "Apparently since a lot of civilians were drafted into the Separatist army, they let anyone who wanders in the front door with militaristic training in." He paused. "Haven't seen the admiral yet, because he's not here. Tomorrow he's coming in. I can meet you at the south entrance tomorrow morning before mess."

"Okay, we'll be there." Naruto clicked off.


	21. Chapter 21

Itachi leaned against his shipment. "I told you I wouldn't be late," he said to the man carrying his money. Furgan gave him his credits.

"Is your droid for sale?" Furgan asked, gazing greedily at the droid.

Itachi stared at him. "No." He gestured for K-45 to pick his credits up. "We'll be leaving now."

Furgan scowled and withdrew a blaster. K-45 froze.

Itachi, without so much as a twitch, tossed the gun on the other side of the room using the Force.

If there was one place that bred Force-sensitives with a shocking regularity (without even meaning to, either...) it was Alteria, Itachi's home on Alderaan.

He knew Naruto and him shared that in common; both were from Alderaan and Alteria. The odds of that were slim to none, even smaller odds that Itachi and her would meet.

"You're a Jedi!" Furgan yelled, fear entering his eyes.

"No, I'm not," Itachi said, irritated. "I'm a bounty hunter. Now, I'm leaving."

He stalked up the ramp of his ship, K-45 following.

~:~

The droids had been dealt with by the time Furgan stepping into his office with the glitterstim.

"Oh, _poodoo,"_ Furgan said, dropping the box.

Naruto smiled brightly. "Anora! You can take him to your ship. I already have a Neimoidian I need to take to Coruscant."

A communicator beeped. Naruto reached inside her armor's small pocket and grabbed her communicator.

"This is the most beautiful Alterian Jedi goddess speaking," Naruto said in a sing-song voice. "What's up?"

"Jabba the Hutt's son was kidnapped. He ordered me to find him. He has Boba as leverage." Jango Fett's quietly enraged voice came over the line.

Naruto's face went scarily flat. So did her voice. "Tatooine?"

"Tatooine," Jango confirmed. "We don't have a very good trail at the moment - all we know it was someone with the resources, someone who wants the space lanes in Hutt-controlled space."

"Hmm..." Naruto thought for a minute. "Alright. I'll be over there in a jiffy. I'll just bring my R2 unit and my fighter."

"Alright. Zam will meet you in Mos Eisley. She'll have the communicator."

Naruto heard the disconnection.

 _Nobody screws with my bounty hunters,_ Naruto thought. _Especially not_ Jabba the Hutt.

She looked at Anora.

"I have a personal matter to attend to," the Alderaanian teen growled, her canines looking more menacing than ever.

~:~

Two standard days later, Naruto stepped off with R2-SPK. Naruto nicknamed him 'Spark'.

She had her modified Mandalorian armor on, her tail hidden like last time she'd worn it.

Zam was standing in a corner of the area with her purple suit on. Naruto tapped her on the shoulder. "Zam, it's me, Naruto," she said as Zam brought out her blaster. "How's Jango?"

"Angry," Zam replied. "He's looking for Jabba's son. Do the Jedi know you're here?"

Naruto looked mildly alarmed. "...No," she said honestly. "But I've been sitting in a cramped starfighter for the last two days. My first order of business is meeting with Jabba the Hutt."

Zam sighed. "Which means we'll need a translator droid. I don't speak Huttese."

Naruto sighed. "Did Jango not tell you where we met?" She took off her helmet. "We met here, in Mos Eisley when I was six. Ten years ago, now." She smiled nostalgically. "Ah, enough with the memories; let's have an audience with a Hutt." She placed on the helmet, and Zam took her to a nearby speeder.

"What other dialects do you have?"

"I've studied and learned Twi'lek, Huttese, Basic, Toydarian, Shryiiwook, and a lot of Mando'a." She missed the impressed widening of Zam's eyes. "I pretty much only studied languages at the Temple. My master was getting on in years, and besides teaching me how to handle border disputes, wielding my lightsaber and allowing me to go off by myself, I had nothing to do. So, after I settled the disputes, I'd go to the Temple or practice my saber fighting. Plus, for about five years I was a slave here on Tatooine to a Toydarian - kind of had to pick up a thing or two here or there."

"You met Jango when you were a slave?"

"And Aurra Sing," Naruto nodded. "They needed a few things; with my pretty blue eyes they couldn't handle _not_ being my friend. Jango... He kind of knew what I was going through, even offered to free me. I almost took it, too." They were almost at the Jundland Wastes. "Did you know the Tusken Raiders around here made me kill a krayt dragon?"

Zam almost crashed into a pillar. "Aren't they dangerous?!"

"Yeah, but being swallowed by one isn't so bad." Naruto wrinkled her nose. "Although, you can never fully get the stink out of robes unless you douse the robes in bleach first. Force, they _reeked_ even then."

"Did you get the stink out?"

"No, my master at the time, Obi-Wan Kenobi, made me toss them out." Naruto took out her lightsaber and showed Zam where she'd put the krayt pearls - having carved out an indent in the hilt, she'd managed to weld the metal back on over most of it, leaving only a small glimmer of krayt pearl. Only those on Tatooine would see it and know what it was; even then, there was little possibility of anyone taking her sabers.

She put them away as they reached Jabba's palace, instead taking out her whip and putting her helmet on.

Time to face the music.


	22. Chapter 22

Great and Honorable Jabba, two bounty hunters have appeared, asking for the human boy, the 3PO droid said to its master.

Let them enter, Jabba replied. It will amuse me to see their ugly faces of despair.

The two hunters entered.

"The great and honorable Jabba welcomes you," the droid said, ready to translate - but was stopped by the Mandalorian's hand.

I speak Huttese, thank you. Great and Honorable Jabba, may I make an offer? To... Spice up the deal? The Mandalorian questioned.

Jabba laughed. Why would I be interested in a deal? What would I have to gain?

Your son, and the favor of the Galactic Republic, The Mandalorian responded fluidly. If I and my fellow bounty hunter retrieve your son, we will not interfere - for now - in affairs that deal with the Hutts in return for the safe return of Boba Fett, the human child you have in your dungeons, and safe passage through Hutt space for the Galactic Republic.

Are you certain you are not a Senator, human? You certainly speak like one, Jabba replied suspiciously.

I despise most Senators, Great and Honorable Jabba. Do we have a deal?

Jabba seemed to think. Yes. We have a deal.

The Mandalorian bowed and walked off the cage hiding the rancor, exiting the palace. Those who understood the conversation - or could just barely follow it - stared at the back of the Mandalorian with awe. Those that could speak Huttese so fluidly could only be someone who had once lived in Hutt-controlled space.

~:~

"Sorry, Master Windu. A debt I owe someone has been called in; I can't ignore it," the teen said, not lying, but not telling the explicit truth. "However, I have been able to possibly secure safe passage through Hutt-controlled space. As soon as I find Jabba's son I'll let you know."

With that, the hologram shut off.

"Well, she isn't wrong," Obi-Wan spoke, drawing the attention of the council. "We _do_ need those space lanes."

"And yet, Kyorsk and Skywalker are trying to stop Separatist forces on Christophsis," Ki-Adi Mundi replied. "Sending her there would not be remiss -"

"But Master Kenobi has a point," Aayla Secura interrupted. "Naruto Uzumaki has made valuable allies in the past. Perhaps this stunt would gain us more." She was a younger master, recently promoted to the rank of master. "Master Tii, how long until the next battalions of clones are ready?"

"Five more standard weeks," the hologram of the Togrutan master replied from her perch in Kamino. "Perhaps sending a Padawan would be a good idea. Skywalker needs to learn to temper his own emotions; Kyorsk has mentioned on more than one occasion she wanted a Padawan as well."

"Kyorsk is already tempered," Mundi replied with a frown. "Maybe sending one to Uzumaki would make her less flighty."

"A plan for Naruto, the Force has," Yoda said, making the conversation pause. "Clouds much, the Dark Side does. Sees through the cloud, Naruto does. Giver her a Padawan, we will. Finish what she needs, she must. Bother her, we cannot."

~:~

Using her mental bond with her brother, Naruto connected with Anakin. Sensing something dangerous was happening, Naruto waited for a minute.

Then -

 _Naruto._ Anakin sounded mentally exhausted. _What's up?_

 _Sorry to bug you. Um, I have to ask your wife for a favor._ Naruto thought it sounded odd - Anakin was _married._ Sure, Naruto had been there, but it was still weird. _Ask her to check with Ziro the Hutt in the Undercity if he has news of his nephew's kidnapping._

 _Okay! Will do._ He removed his presence from her mind.

"I need to hurry back." Naruto peeked around the corner of the B'amorr Monastery opening, and her eyes widened behind her helmet. Jabba's ugly son was laying there, crying. A human figure was standing there, her head shaved, Count Dooku as a hologram in her hand. The woman wasn't as red as Maul had been, surprisingly; that meant that there was a chance that this woman could be saved.

"Jabba is unresponsive to the threat to his son's life, Master. What should I do?"

"Destroy the creature. If Jabba is uninterested in a treaty with us, then we will not let the Republic take anything from this."

Naruto made her cough silent. The woman nodded. "Yes, Master."

Count Dooku vanished, and the woman turned. Naruto ducked behind the pillar, heart racing.

"I can sense you," the woman said.

Naruto took a deep breath and turned her lightsabers on with a _snap-hiss._

The side that had once been orange was now green; Naruto spun her saber as she entered the room.

"I take it the Rule of Two doesn't apply to the Sith anymore," Naruto said, her voice muffled in the helmet.

"And you are?" the woman frowned.

"It's traditional to name yourself first," Naruto said coolly.

"I am Assajj Ventress," the woman said, taking two sabers out and igniting them. "And what is this 'Rule of Two' you speak of?"

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto replied, introducing herself. "And the 'Rule of Two' is a master Sith and an apprentice Sith. The master of Dooku is the chancellor, of course."

The woman stared at Naruto. "If you know who the master Sith is, why have you not destroyed him?"

Naruto tapped her helmet and stared at the woman incredulously. "He looks like a frail old man! How the _hell_ should a _Jedi_ attack a _weak old man_ who's in charge of the _kriffing_ Senate? I'd be seen as a traitor to the Jedi cause!"

"That's... Actually a good point." Ventress and Naruto watched each other, circling each other until Naruto got closer to the Hutt kid. Then she planted her feet and waited. Ventress looked slightly annoyed as she straightened, putting her lightsabers away.

"Master, why are you conceding the battle?" the tactical droid asked Ventress.

"Give me a percentage of me winning against three bounty hunters, one with a lightsaber and Force Sensitive?" Ventress said dryly as one of Jabba's bounty hunters appeared, Zam behind him.

"Oh, so the Changeling was right," the man said. He looked very young, but then Naruto knew that most started out in their teens. "Two hot ladies are getting into a fight." He winked.

Both Force sensitive women felt a surge of irritation.

"Why," Naruto moaned, catching everyone's attention, "do men _always_ flirt with me? I have a hard enough time with two of the Order's rules, I don't need to have issues with the last one!"

"Let me guess, it's the 'celibacy' thing?" Zam muttered, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear it. "You didn't seem to have a problem flirting with Itachi."

"I WASN'T _FLIRTING_ WITH HIM!" Naruto shouted in protest as the man snickered at her unfortunate situation. Ventress looked highly confused.

"What is going on?" the tactical droid asked.

Both Naruto and Ventress threw their lightsabers at it; the droid didn't have time to scream a metallic scream as it was destroyed.

"I want to leave, unharmed," Ventress requested, knowing she was caught as she was outmatched by two bounty hunters and a Jedi.

Naruto smiled. "As long as you promise when we meet again, because I doubt our meeting is a coincidence, you don't mention us meeting _now."_

She inclined her head. "You have a deal," Ventress replied, deactivating her sabers, Naruto doing the same. Naruto watched her leave, and Naruto took the young Hutt into her arms, making a face and completely forgetting to tint her helmet as she did so.

She turned to the two others. "Who's the other one?" she asked Zam.

"I'm Dengar," the bounty hunter replied with a foxy grin. Naruto's right eye twitched.


	23. Chapter 23

Zam laughed to herself as Dengar made yet another suggestive comment to Naruto.

As they headed up to Jabba's palace, Dengar finally made Naruto snap.

"How about you and I go off and break your Code?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Zam was glad that she was holding the Hutt, or Naruto would have dropped the Hutt.

Naruto whirled around, igniting one end of her dual sabers.

"You keep _flirting with me,_ and I will shove this lightsaber so far up your -"

The door to the palace opened and Naruto turned her lightsaber off, just in time. She quickly pressed the button to tint her helmet as the droid came in. Count Dooku stood there.

"See, where are the Jedi now?" he asked, smirking at the three 'bounty hunters'.

"I assure you, Count," Naruto said, taking her helmet off. "The Jedi are right here. And unless you want a fight in Jabba's palace, then I suggest you shut up." She turned to Jabba and spoke in Huttese. I have honored half of the agreement. Have you gotten a message from Senator Padme Amidala?

I have heard your Senator's words, and Ziro will be imprisoned in the capital, the Hutt growled, holding his arms out. Naruto gestured for Zam to hand it to the droid, who handed the young Hutt to the older Hutt. The Republic has free use of Hutt space.

What of the human boy? Naruto questioned.

Jabba gestured, and a Rodian bounty hunter walked forward, Boba Fett standing there.

You are great indeed, honorable Jabba, Naruto lied through her teeth. During this exchange of words, the Count had left; Naruto ignored that. It wasn't time yet. And even if it had been time, gaining favor with the Hutts for the Republic was better than capturing Dooku.

She bowed and left, Zam and Dengar following.

"You know Huttese?" Boba asked, eyes wide.

"Yep," Naruto replied, putting her helmet back on. "Now let's get back to Kamino. I'm sure your dad is worried sick."

~:~

Delivering Boba to his father was an easy task. Refusing payment for doing so? Not so easy.

"Just take the money," Jango said.

Naruto threw her hands up. "I'm going to be going to _war_ after I return!" she exclaimed, making heads turn. "The Jedi Council is probably annoyed at me right now, since I blew them off to save your son!"

"I could use the money," Dengar offered.

"WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!" Naruto and Zam shouted at him.

"Because I follow hot chicks," he replied with a wink towards Naruto, whose temper exploded.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" She brought out her lightsaber.

Zam grabbed her and bodily threw her down, slamming her weight on her.

"CALM DOWN," Zam ordered Naruto.

Naruto threw Dengar a venomous look. Then she turned her head to Jango.

"But seriously, I can't take the money. The Order's going to kill me or exile me, and I really want to help the galaxy where I can." Zam finally got off of her.

Jango sighed. "I'll see if some bounty hunters will help." He clapped her on the shoulder. "Be careful out there, kid."

Naruto smiled and nodded. "Well, I really have to go... Lama Su!" Lama Su stood in the doorway, a genial smile on the Kaminoan cloner's face. Naruto's droid was behind him and Naruto looked suddenly ill. "Right... I'm going to have to take off from here." She smiled and put her helmet on. "Call me if you need anything, Jango."

"Can _I_ call -"

"Zam may have saved your ass once, Dengar, but I swear on the Force that if you continue your strain of thoughts I'll strangle you with your own entrails." Her voice was suddenly very sweet, and there was no doubt she _meant_ it. "Even if it gets me kicked out of the Jedi Order. Got it?"

Dengar half-smiled, raising his hands up. "Didn't mean to piss you off."


	24. Chapter 24

Naruto set her coordinates for Christophsis; however, she needed to refuel and headed towards the nearest moon. Nar Shaddaa.

She stepped out in her Mandalorian armor, paid for a refuel, and stood there. You couldn't trust anyone on these crime-infested planets, especially since these were Hutts.

"Ugh, I'm hungry," she said to herself.

She told Spark to watch her armor and lightsabers; she had clothes on underneath and her whip hidden in her robes (no, nobody would ever find out where), and told Spark to get in the ship and get help if she didn't return by the planetary cycle's end. She went out to find some food.

She ran into a redheaded woman with two cat ears and a cat tail.

"Sorry about that," Naruto smiled.

The redhead eyed her for a moment - then Naruto winced, as a loud ringing entered her mind. She tried to back away, but then -

\- a stun blaster made half of her want to pass out and the other half was quite mad.

Another stun blast as Naruto reached up to call Spark; blackness hit the young Alterian.

~:~

Karin hauled her prize into the lab two galactic standard days later; the people in the lab stared at her as she hauled her in.

"Master," she bowed at Sasori. "I brought her here, per your request - I believe she was infected with _kokujin no byouko._ " Karin had seen several family members die from that before Lady Kushina had found a cure, and a vaccination.

"Put her in the cells." Sasori removed his eyes from the limp Jedi's form. "Once she is awake, we shall call Darth Sidious. Then, and only then, when we get the okay..." Sasori removed one of his most potent poisons. "Let's see if an Alterian Jedi can handle my poisons."

Kabuto looked down to his work. His poison would bring out the darkest parts of the teen and shove them in her face.

He put it in a vial, smirking to himself. He would finally become a true part of the Sith Empire.

He hid the vial in his sleeve as Karin passed him.

Karin would, while waiting for the 'okay', use her Shatterpoint ability on her; Karin would aim to break the teenaged Jedi.

~:~

Itachi blinked as he saw the starfighter and the R2 unit; both of obvious Republic-make.

The R2 unit beeped angrily as they approached.

"Calm down, astromech. We're not here to steal you," K-45 said crossly.

Itachi ignored the droids' bickering, hopping up to see the Mandalorian armor and lightsabers together on the seat of the fighter.

"Is she in trouble?"

The R2 unit beeped. Itachi looked at K-45 questioningly.

"It seems whoever its owner is, she left to refuel herself and come back and told him to go get help if she didn't come back within a standard day," K-45 replied.

"I see." Itachi sighed. "Droid, let's leave the ship. I'll help you find her."

The R2 unit said something rather rude-sounding.

K-45 looked at Itachi for a moment before glancing at Itachi.

"What?" Itachi asked, raising an eyebrow minutely.

"He says you should not be rude, his name is Spark, and if you're rude about his mistress again he'll shock you," K-45 said after a moment.

Itachi just stared at the two droids. "Fine then. Spark, I want to help you find Naruto. I'll refund her after I get paid for my latest job; we're going to have to leave her starfighter here."

The droid warbled.

K-45 looked at Itachi.

"He wants you to destroy it so that it is not used against anyone."

Itachi used the Force, forcing it to submerge into the nearest muddy puddle of Nar Shaddaa. Not like there wasn't other things poisoning the moon of the planet of the Hutts.

K-45 had taken Naruto's weapons and armor, putting them with his own concealed weapons.

Spark followed them reluctantly as Itachi walked away.

~:~

Anakin was more than worried. His new Padawan looked at him on the bridge of the cruiser.

"Master, is everything all right?"

Ahsoka Tano was his new Padawan; Anora hadn't gotten one, and she was very obviously disappointed about that.

Anakin shook his head. His sister's Force signature was... Dulled, somehow. "I'm going to go meditate," he said, heading for the back of the _Endurance._ His own ship had been destroyed; Anakin was determined to keep this one at least _intact._

"That is the first time I have ever seen him _willingly_ go meditate," Anora said to Ahsoka.

Anakin sat down in the middle of his room.

Setting all his fears for the immediate future aside, he focused on the fact that he was alive. Then, after that, he focused on his sister's unique Force signature.

She was unconscious, kept under with a sedative that was wearing thin.

Anakin also noticed a manifesting illness in her.

 _Naruto._ Anakin's mental voice was quiet.

Naruto answered, surprisingly. _Ani? I think... Ugh. I feel like the night of the Rodian party happened all over again. Ugh... Oh, no. Spark must be going crazy for me. Ugh. Anakin - I was kinda kidnapped from Nar Shaddaa - had to stop there because I was low on fuel after my stop on Kamino._

 _I think I got that,_ Anakin replied. _Look, do you know where you are?_

 _Not really. I can sense one other Force sensitive here; the other three aren't. I feel like I'm alone on whatever planet or station I'm on,_ she explained. _With only four others._

 _Should I tell the Council?_

 _You can. I think I have a rescue on the way,_ Naruto replied to him slowly. _So all I've got to do is hold out. If he's coming, that is. And if it's even him._

 _Who?_

 _A guy I thought was kinda hot. He's also kinda an asshole._ Naruto faded from his mind. _Have to go, big brother. Wish me luck._

 _May the Force be with you,_ he told her.

It may have been a formal statement - but it was quickly becoming quite a common thing.

Anakin swallowed and wondered if he'd see her soon.


	25. Chapter 25

Naruto gasped in pain as Karin finished; aside from telling Naruto her name, Karin had told her nothing. No reason why she was being held, no answers - just... Nothing.

Karin was getting increasingly frustrated, too. Naruto took a deep breath and centered herself with the Force, ready for the pain. Ready for the taunts.

Just as Karin's hand descended, a voice cut through sharply.

"Karin!"

Karin removed her hand.

A redheaded young human appeared. He was in his thirties, late twenties; his red hair was cut short and his brown eyes were cold. Almost unnaturally cold.

"Alterians, as I've come to expect, have far greater immunity to poisons," he said to Naruto almost conversationally. "This will make you far more susceptible to Karin's Shatterpoint ability. You know, she's broken stronger humans before." Karin grinned deviously. "Now, be honest with me - how much does it hurt?"

He slid a needle into one of her veins.

"What - do you want?" Naruto asked through ragged breaths, her only comfort her whip coiled around her body.

"Well, _I_ just want to see how this poison affects Alterian biology, and how it'll react to the other poison inside you," he said mildly. "The name is Sasori, by the way."

"Sasori!" Karin scowled. "Don't you think that -"

Sasori turned a frozen glare on her. "Sidious was fine with her knowing. We're not exactly on anyone's lists; well, maybe the Black Sun's list, but that's different." He looked down at Naruto, who was beginning to feel a curious burning sensation.

Like _hell_ was she going to tell her captors.

"Anything?" he asked her.

She glared at him.

"Karin."

Karin's hand descended, and Naruto's mind was psychologically attacked as lightning arched from her fingers. This was Karin's ability; to find the weak point and get through it to shatter her mind into a hundred pieces.

Naruto wouldn't let her.

~:~

"She's suffering through it," Sasori frowned. "Deidara, why don't you go and be a little nice to her? Make it seem like she has a friend down there, even if you're not really _down_ there. It should break her eventually."

Deidara shrugged. "Sure." He slipped off the stool he had been on and walked out, whistling.

Kabuto's eyes followed him.

~:~

Naruto heard footsteps descending, and took a deep breath as she chanted the Code mentally.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force._

"What are you doing? Napping?"

Naruto opened her eyes. "None of your business," she told him. His blue eyes regarded her, his long yellow hair in a ponytail and bangs over one half of his head, shadowing his eyes. "Why are you here?"

"Figured I'd see how our resident prisoner is doing. I'm Deidara, by the way." Deidara smiled at her and looked at the screens that indicated her health. "It would be easier if you just broke, you know."

Naruto scowled at him. "If I just _broke,_ then that would mean that Sasori and Karin have won."

Deidara nodded. "Sasori broke me a long time ago."

Naruto glanced at him. He seemed perfectly at ease with his own breaking.

"I see," she said, glancing at him through the Force. He wasn't Force-sensitive, which meant she _could_ use the Jedi mind trick. She didn't like using it. It felt like cheating (even though it really technically _wasn't)_. "I don't suppose you'll loosen the restraints against my tail a bit, would you?"

Deidara smiled. "Nope, sorry, discomfort is priority in keeping a victim in here. You'll find you can't use the Force in here. While you were unconscious they put _ysalimiri_ in here - it negates the Force from being used."

Naruto wasn't about to call him out on that blatant lie.

"Deidara~!" A new voice called in a sing-song tone. Deidara stiffened. Naruto pretended to be unconscious. "I finally have you here, all alone." Naruto peeked one of her eyes open. A white-haired man she recognized from 'Wanted' holos was standing there - Kabuto Yakushi. "Sasori can't save you now~" he laughed sinisterly.

Naruto glanced at Deidara, who backed up swiftly.

She focused on using the Force to stop that needle from descending into Deidara's neck - as it slipped in, Naruto lost it.

"SASORI!" She screamed, her powerful lungs expelling a _lot_ of sound. "SASORI, DEIDARA'S IN -"

Kabuto slapped her, then stuck the needle in her own neck.

Naruto's eyes went wide as she could feel the mass of Dark Force hurtling at her.

"Oh, _Sith,"_ she said before the Dark Force slammed into her.

~:~

Sasori was busy working on a new poison - this one he was sure she'd be affected by and _have_ to scream.

Then a scream split the air, his name. And then his name again, followed by Deidara.

Both Karin and Sasori abandoned their workstations, entering the room to see Kabuto standing over Deidara _and_ the newly-unconscious Alterian.

"You touched Deidara." Sasori's voice was flat.

"I've been wanting to do that for _weeks,_ " Kabuto said with a gleeful smile. "Finally, I can become a part of the Sith Empire."

"Like _hell,"_ Karin said with a smirk. "After all, Deidara was the only one keeping you alive. You're a loose thread, Kabuto... And look at what you've done to him." Karin may have, for all intents and purposes, be their little servant, but she was frightful when she tapped into the Dark Side.

Kabuto paled. "What - no, you're mistaken! Master Sidious even said -"

"Enough." Sasori's voice was quiet.

Kabuto swallowed.

"Karin, do whatever you wish to him." Karin smiled nastily.

She grabbed Kabuto and shocked him, enjoying the screams of pain as she dragged him to another area. Sasori knelt next to Deidara, touching his neck for a pulse.

Even as he did so, Deidara's eyes opened.

"Ugh," Deidara moaned. "It feels like I swallowed a ton of ash and fire. Ugh. How disgusting."

Sasori frowned. "What did he do to the girl?"

Deidara shrugged. "He just used most of the poison he made on her because he didn't get that much in me, thanks to her scream."

Ordinarily, Sasori hated owing people. But he hated people just letting his Deidara get injured or poisoned, too. So now he owed the girl.

He hauled Deidara up. "Come. We're retiring for the night."


	26. Chapter 26

_Where am I? Naruto frowned. Complete blackness and being completely alone were two things that Naruto disliked._

" _It's about time you visited." Naruto turned. Red, slitted eyes stared out at her from the darkness._

" _Who are you?" Naruto was almost afraid to ask._

" _My name... Well, I had one, once." Her own voice, silky and seemingly far more seductive than what Naruto went for, met Naruto's ears. "I was male then, too. Oh, well. It seems I got my wish."_

" _Your wish? What? I don't understand!" Naruto was frightened._

" _Oh, my... You were a slave once. How... Tragic." The red eyes circled her. "I'm your worst nightmare, Na-ru-to. My name is..." The red eyes were inches from hers, and Naruto's arms were grabbed. Instantly, red ears and hair matching her eyes appeared with a blood-red tail. Slightly longer fangs showed as the woman smiled - and three whisker marks adorned each cheek. Naruto's eyes widened as she realized she was an exact copy of this woman (except her tail was an orange and tipped with white and her ears were orange instead of red...). The woman leaned closer, red lips near an ear. "...Kurama."_

 _Naruto saw the expectancy on the woman's face._

" _Am I supposed to know that name?" Naruto asked, before the woman's face darkened._

" _You don't know of me? The Sith Lord of Alteria?"_

" _No," Naruto shook her head. "I'm sorry. I wasn't living in - what's Alteria? And if you're here, aren't you evil?"_

 _Kurama scoffed. "The Dark Side of the Force is not truly evil, little one. Many use it. Your Itachi does; you have seen this."_

" _He's not 'mine'," Naruto snapped. "Why are you in my mind?"_

" _Because I vowed to return, and the Force has granted me my wish," Kurama growled. "I vowed to return; I know I died and became One with the Force but I thought I would be in a body that would at LEAST be fearful of my intentions. And knew my name."_

" _Kurama... Nope, never heard of that OR Alteria." Kurama looked annoyed. "Is that the city where you were born?"_

" _No," Kurama said. "Or it wasn't a city then; it was a planet. But then, I suppose it was destroyed by the hyperspace wormhole I created to that other planet." Kurama shook her head. "It doesn't matter. None of that matters any longer. I suppose I only came because of that Dark energy you took from that one Zabrak."_

" _You're a manifestation of the dark energy I took from a guy?" Naruto asked incredulously. "This is crazy."_

" _And yet, here we are. I was no ordinary Sith when I was alive, child. I let my consciousness flow with the Force until I found a perfect host - you. I just didn't think you'd come so soon. I'm not nearly ready enough to take over your body." Kurama looked disappointed._

 _Naruto scowled. "NOBODY is taking over my body,_ Kurama. _Nobody except me. We're done here." Naruto sat down, Kurama mirroring her._

" _Join me," Kurama said after she sat. "Join me and all your fears and sorrows will die."_

" _No," Naruto said, turning her back on Kurama. "I will not."_

 _It wasn't long before Kurama lost her patience and grabbed onto Naruto's head, trying to change her mind._

 _Naruto flung Kurama off with just her strength, her double bladed lightsaber in her hand._

" _I SAID NO!"_

 _Kurama was suddenly holding a red lightsaber._

" _And I told you to join me."_

~:~

Itachi entered the station, his Force-cloaked signature (and body) hiding him from peering eyes. He'd left K-45 down by the ship with Spark.

Following the _ysalimiri,_ lizard-like creatures found on Myrkr and the only thing that could stop the flow of the Force, Itachi found Naruto out cold on a table. Quickly, he grabbed his shoto lightsaber and cut her restraints off. He carried her bridal style into his ship, not encountering any of the four Force signatures. He took off silently.

Spark wheeled in and seemed to cheer when he saw Naruto, but then questioned K-45 incessantly about her current condition.

Naruto opened her eyes when they were well underway in lightspeed, and she looked a bit frazzled.

"Something wrong?"

"I got attacked by a crazy bitch in my mind!" Naruto said, looking shocked. "And you actually did come! Thank you!" She looked at him with happiness.

"Hn."

Naruto frowned, then looked to K-45, who explained the pilot's behavior.

"He usually does that."

Naruto scowled. "Yeah, whatever then."

Itachi stayed quiet.

~:~

K-45 showed Naruto to her bunk. "Itachi has a dead body in that one, so don't go in there," K-45 cheerfully explained as they passed the bunks.

Naruto nodded, looking queasy.

"Is he a bounty hunter?" Naruto asked K-45.

K-45 nodded, his wide eyes reminding her of C-3P0.

"He is... Sort of a bounty hunter and smuggler all rolled into one. He has honor when it concerns women and children. They are protected whenever bounty hunters come. Or forewarned. Unless they are a nasty sort. Then Itachi takes kids _away_ from them." K-45 looked at her. "Call me K, Mistress."

Naruto blushed fiercely. "I'm not Itachi's wife."

"No," K agreed placidly. "But you will become his lover. Probability: 99%. I have faith in you."

"Are you sure you're just a droid and not an artificial intelligence?" Naruto wondered.

K shrugged. "Itachi says I am better than any droid and most of the people he knows. Taking that from him, I will have to assume I am better than 99% of the population."

Naruto smiled. Then she swallowed. "I bet you are... But one question. Where's the 'fresher?"

K showed her. Naruto threw up nothing. They hadn't exactly been accommodating in the cell she'd been in.

"Are you okay?" K asked her.

Naruto shrugged halfheartedly. "I don't know." She sighed and went to her bunk.


	27. Chapter 27

"...where are we even headed?" Naruto finally asked, alone in the cockpit, staring at the stars.

"Black Sun headquarters." Itachi's voice made her jump. "On Coruscant. I'm dropping you off there."

His voice was cold.

"Okay." Naruto winced. She was feeling quite lethargic and kind of sick.

She reached out for the Force's calm, but then froze as she... Couldn't. She could feel it, just beyond her grasp.

Coruscant distracted her. He steered the ship in one of the space lanes, and looked to Naruto impatiently.

" _This is Republic control, state your business."_

"Jedi Knight Naruto Uzumaki, returning on business for the Jedi Council. If you want, I have verification codes - or I could just call the Council, and have them explain to you why I'm returning," Naruto replied, as smartass as possible.

" _Jedi Knight, you are cleared to land. Any cargo?"_

"I _just_ said I was returning on business for the Jedi Council. You going to dispute that, or what? Because I honestly have Master Yoda's communication codes on me right now, and can call him to verify," Naruto replied, irritation in her voice.

"No need, Jedi Knight," the control operator said in a clearly shaken voice. "You're cleared. Completely."

" _Thank you,"_ Naruto replied.

Itachi accelerated.

He set down near enough to walk to the Jedi Temple, and he looked at her. "If you're not gone by the time I return, I'll have K shoot you."

Naruto scowled as he got up. Then she realized she was staring at his backside as he walked away.

 _Mmm, that looks -_ she shook her head to herself. _Oh, Force. Am I seriously thinking this right now?! I need to get out._

She got up, her legs trembling under her. Itachi's clothes were nice.

She didn't make it to her bunk before completely collapsing.

~:~

Normally, K-45 would shoot anyone who disobeyed Itachi. But, seeing as there was a 99% possibility that Naruto Uzumaki the Jedi Knight would become, in most cultures, Itachi's life-mate, he would help her and not shoot her.

The droid instead sent Spark in to get Itachi. It slipped his memory banks that Itachi did _not_ understand droidspeak.

~:~

Finishing his transaction with Xicor, one of the heads of the Black Sun, Itachi went to leave when something caught his eye.

The idiot Jedi's droid was in the Black Sun area, screaming.

Seeing Itachi, the droid shouted something.

Itachi looked at Xicor. "I need that droid - he's my partner."

Xicor gestured. "Very well. He's screaming about a 'Naruto', by the way."

Itachi frowned minutely.

Spark warbled as he was set down. The Falleen raised an eyebrow. "The droid says that Naruto collapsed on your ship soon after you left."

Itachi finally let a scowl grace his features.

"Come on, droid," he barked. "I'm going to kill her."

~:~

Itachi stood. Mandalore had the best medical facilities; plus, one of the medics here owed him.

"Doctor," he said to the doctor. "What's the diagnosis?"

The doctor was grim-faced. "She has _kokujin no byouki;_ that, and an undetermined poison I have never seen before."

Itachi nodded. "I know of a cure. Thank you." He put the credits in the doctor's hand, scooping Naruto up as he reached the biobed.

Real worry set in; _kokujin no byouki_ waited years before going to the final stage. If Lady Kushina couldn't save her...

He got to his ship and set her down.

"K-45, set a course for my home."

"Yes, Itachi." K-45 made his way to the cockpit of the ship.

"Spark, I can't understand you - but monitor her breathing and make sure she still is. She can't use the Force while this sick; I should have recognized the signs. _Kokujin no byouki_ is deadly!"

Itachi's mother, Mikoto, had had it. His little brother had nearly died from it. Mikoto hadn't survived.

But Lady Kushina - oh, he prayed to the Force that she allowed him back in. After his failure at the Battle of Yosuga -

Itachi banished those thoughts. Lady Kushina hadn't banished him from Alteria; his grandfather, Madara, had. Not that he had the power still - Itachi knew that Kushina had left the Senate to take her place as ruler of Alteria.

With a swallow, he let the Force fill him.

~:~

Bail Organa was disembarking from his personal transport when he heard the argument.

"Alterian transports are over for the day," the man said, staring down at the dark-haired man standing there with a woman in his arms. "And unless you can produce _identification about you,_ it's going to stay that way!"

There was a shift, and the attendant gulped.

"You'll do as I say. There is a dying Alterian girl in my arms, and if you don't let me go, she'll die. The Lady of Alteria, Lady Kushina, won't be happy to find out that her _daughter_ is the one _dying!_ "

"Attendant!" Bail spotted the Jedi Knight he'd seen on the HoloNet. "Activate one last transport. Put it on my tab, Senator Bail Organa."

The attendant paled. "Yes, sir."

He flipped a few switches.

"Please alert Alterian control we have an emergency case of _kokujin no byouki,"_ the man said, his blaster tucked away. Bail knew of the man - he'd heard of the failed Battle of Yosuga; but he thought this man's ideals were amazing.

"Won't you be exposed?" he asked, simply concerned for the man's health.

Uchiha Itachi shrugged. "I got the vaccination."

The transport whirred to life. Itachi walked onto the transport. "Take care of K-45 and Spark."

Two droids appeared near a shuttle.

Bail chuckled to himself.

~:~

Kushina growled. "Transports are over for the day!" Her tail lashed. Nobody bothered her sleep. The human in the Alderaan Transport Center spoke, his voice harried. " _Alterian Control, this is Alderaan Control. Emergency case of_ kokujin no byouki _is on the transport. I repeat, emergency case of_ kokujin no byouki _is on the transport."_

Instantly, Kushina was calling Minato.

"Minato, get out the ingredients for _kokujin no byouki._ Don't know how extensive this case is, but hurry." She shut down the communication, then looked at the control officer. "Just keep watch," she ordered him.

He bowed his head.

The transport stopped at the gate, and the doors opened.

Out stepped Itachi. Kushina's breath caught. And in his arms was her unconscious baby.

"That's -" Asuma looked stunned at Itachi's appearance.

Kushina blinked away the tears. "I told you he'd come back," she replied to Asuma. Most of the Uchiha lived in disgrace; not because of Itachi's so-called 'disgraceful' actions at Yosuga Mountain, but because Kushina had publicly announced that the Uzumaki and Namikaze would support the actions of Uchiha Itachi; the Hatake had sided with her. And from then on, it'd been somewhat of a civil war.

Now, Kushina was the one of the five leaders of Alteria, taking over from the old one, Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Shadow Leaders, or Kages, were named after the elements in the language of their ancestors. Kushina was the Fire Shadow, or the Hokage.

Kushina approached Naruto and Itachi.

"Come," Kushina said, getting in her speeder. Itachi followed. Kushina knew tonight would bring a lot of questions. How her daughter ended up with the Jedi was one of them (though Sarutobi had to send his grandson, Konohamaru, a few years ago, to them because he was so damn reckless); how her daughter had ended up being lost to Kushina was another. She slowed to a stop in front of her home.

Many eyes silently watched as they entered Kushina's home, where she forced all the blinds shut with just a wave of her hand. Nobody but Minato, his pupil Kakashi, Naruto, and Itachi could be trusted with the secret of the antidote.

(Itachi already knew. He'd been politely incredulous, at first, until his brother had gotten better an hour later. Sasuke hadn't gotten sick since.)

Kushina started to chop. A heavenly smell filled the air.

The one bad thing about the cure was that it needed to be given to the person once a year; the good thing was, Kushina had a shop that sold the cure for a low price, and everyone had at least a bowl of it a week.

The cure? Oh, just the food Kushina discovered healed the soul.

Ramen.

As dumb as it sounded, Kushina herself had been on the verge of dropping from the illness when she discovered _ramen._ She'd been pregnant with Naruto then, and had decided to make a soup. Throwing random ingredients together, the young expectant mother had thrown a bunch of ingredients she was craving together and made _ramen._ She'd felt better, but craved it more.

Testing it on a reluctant and sickly Kakashi had made _him_ better, too. Very few survived the onslaught of _kokujin no byouki_ before then; but now, nobody had to worry about it much.

Kushina sat before Naruto and opened her mouth.

Naruto drank the soup, but she didn't move. Instead, her breathing just got more even.

"She's going to be asleep for a while," Kushina admitted. "I slipped a drug into her soup. She needs to rest."

"There was also another poison in her," Itachi recalled. "Not sure what it was, but there was another one. That's all I remember."

Kushina sighed. "Well, I'm not a healer. That's Sakura." Kushina stared at her for a moment, then Naruto's comm. unit began beeping.

Kushina pressed the button and answered it real fast. "Fuck off, Jedi-whichever-you-are. I'm not in the mood, especially as NOBODY TOLD ME MY DAUGHTER WAS DYING FROM AN ILLNESS THAT ONLY AFFECTS US ALTERIANS AND CAN BE LETHAL IF UNTREATED!" She cut the conversation. "Honestly, those Jedi are nimrods."

"My lady, your daughter IS a Jedi," Itachi pointed out softly.

"The Jedi that didn't alert me," Kushina said snappily at him. " _Someone_ should have recognized the signs! _Before_ she collapsed!"

"There aren't many Alterian Jedi, Lady Kushina," Itachi whispered, so as to not earn the Lady's ire.

Kushina closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Naruto will have to take part in the Trial, won't she?" asked Itachi in a quiet voice.

Kushina nodded. "Please bring her back when it's time."

Itachi nodded. "I suppose that means I'll have to help during the wars." Kushina shot him a frightened look.

"My daughter is in the war?!"

"Yes," Itachi nodded. "As a front-liner."

Itachi had saved Uchiha Obito's life at the Battle of Yosuga. Nobody in the Uchiha Clan had been particularly _pleased_ that Itachi had made them lose that battle - if they had won, they would have succeeded in taking over Alteria. Naruto had been missing all this time - and she was Jedi, having to fight in the war against the Separatists...

Kushina shuddered, then eyed him seriously.

"I don't think we have time for pleasantries now if she's fighting a war," Kushina whispered, placing a hand on Naruto's cheek. "You must explain that to the Jedi Council, Itachi. Two weeks before the Trial and I want her here." Her expression was fierce. "War or no war. Understood?"

Itachi nodded.

~:~

Naruto awoke on Itachi's ship, with the most heavenly-tasting soup being fed to her by him. His expression was blank as he set the bowl down next to her and stared at her.

"We're headed back to Coruscant," he informed her quietly. "Your mother drugged your soup so that the poisons would be out of your system by the time you woke up." He pointed at the soup next to him. "You're not strong enough to walk on your own quite yet, and I need to speak to the Jedi Council about something. I do need you to get me back onto Coruscant."

Naruto nodded sleepily. "Just... Say you are a Jedi. Or use your Force powers to sway the control guy." She closed her eyes. "You're nice when you're not being an asshole."


	28. Chapter 28

It certainly was an odd sight to see a former Jedi helping a current one move sluggishly up the Temple steps.

"I need to see the Jedi Council," Itachi said quietly, handing the girl with a shipment of her medicine she had to take (along with a yellow droid) to the Temple Guards.

"Follow me," the female Guard said, turning and showing him the way.

Itachi entered the Council room. The Jedi watched him enter, suspiciously blank expressions on their faces. Itachi didn't look at his former, older fellow ex-Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, as he walked in.

"Speak," Yoda commanded after Itachi waited silently.

"Lady Kushina of the Alterian Province of Alderaan bids me to tell you that I am to retrieve Naruto two weeks before Naruto's Trial begins," Itachi said, lowly. He knew some of them knew of Alterian Trials; all Alterian Jedi completed them - not for fame. It was to show the people of Alteria that the Jedi Council was subject to the laws of its people whenever an Alterian was sent to the Temple. Naruto was the exception, as nobody knew _exactly_ what happened to her.

She'd been thought dead.

"And what if she's in the middle of fighting an important -" began Mace Windu, only to stop at Itachi's glance at him. The Grey Force user was _smug._

"She bids me to tell you that no matter what, two weeks before Naruto's eighteenth birthday I am to take her to the Trial," Itachi responded before turning around and leaving without dismissal.

"I dislike that kid," Ki-Adi Mundi said.

~:~

"Forgive me, Masters. I had felt him coming and I told Anakin," Naruto told them, wincing a bit as she moved her arm. Her muscles were still kind of stiff. Naruto had been lucky to get to her home in time. "In doing what he did, Itachi was able to save my life. If you wish, I can backup Anakin on Christophsis."

"Backups would be helpful to him," Obi-Wan frowned.

"Before we decide where you will go," Master Windu said, "as an Alterian, you can recognize the signs of _kokujin no byouki_ if it ever occurs again. So, in accordance with our wishes, you will take a Padawan that we have selected for you: The grandson of your Third Fire Shadow."

Naruto's jaw dropped as the kid entered the room.

"This is Konohamaru Sarutobi, the Honorable Grandson," Mace Windu replied. Several faces hid smirks at the kid's title.

He had an arrogant expression on his face. "I will defeat you, Master! And then I'll go home and defeat the old man! I will be Hokage! You will bow down to me, stupid lady!"

Naruto grabbed his shirt and yanked him up to her level. "What was that?!" she demanded, raising her fist. The kid smirked.

"I called you 'stupid lady'! But you won't hit me - otherwise the Order will get sued by my grandfather, the Sandaime Hokage!"

Naruto hit him on the head. "I don't care if the Sandaime is your grand _mother,_ I'm your new master, and you _will_ treat me like I'm older than you, _child,"_ the Jedi Knight snarled at the kid. "Now come on! We're headed to battle! Spark! Get me a shuttle!"

The kid was dragged behind her, his face kind of dazed.

"...I'm beginning to think we shouldn't have given her _that_ kid as a Padawan," Luminara said shakily, holding her armrests tightly.

"Sued, we will not be," Yoda chuckled. "Perfect teacher for him, Naruto is. Come from different cultures, they have. Born in same place, they have been. Protect him, Naruto will."

"One can only hope he doesn't turn out like her," Master Windu said.

Kit Fisto chuckled. "Perhaps I should go on a mission with them someday."

"Wait and see, we shall," Yoda said.

"I think we should be worried about finding two corpses," Obi-Wan said. "Because the only way they'll die is if they kill each other." Every Jedi in the room looked at the slightly smirking master of said Knight... And realized Obi-Wan was joking.

Mostly.

~:~

Leaving the Council room, Naruto took Konohamaru out of the Temple and to a restaurant that was usually very exclusive on its clientele. However, Jedi ate there whenever they were conducting business that required their presence. To show the public that they still existed.

Still, the two cloaked beings silently got seated in a corner booth.

"Why are we here?" Konohamaru frowned.

"To eat and bond before going to war," Naruto replied. "I scheduled us a shuttle to Christophsis in three hours, Konohamaru. Eat well, because if you don't you'll be eating rations for the next... Well, until we come back to the Temple, okay?" She sighed and pinched her nose. "I don't want battle to define our bond. You don't know me, I don't know you - so tell me what you like and dislike."

Konohamaru eyed the menu speculatively. "Can I get moonglow?" he asked her.

"Depends. Are Alterians allergic?"

Konohamaru shook his head, looking incredulous.

"You should know more than I do about Alterians," Konohamaru said, looking ashamed. "I was sent here with a caretaker when I was four."

Naruto swallowed. "I... Don't remember anything from when I was younger than three," Naruto confessed. "I was taken from my mother and sold into slavery." A booth next to them was filled, Naruto's eyes flicking to the waitress as she came over and then back to Konohamaru. "I became a Padawan when I was eight." She smiled at the waitress. "Jedi eat mostly free here, Konohamaru. So don't worry about the cost."

Konohamaru's eyes lit up. "So you don't know the Alterian language, do you?"

Naruto shook her head.

Konohamaru smiled.

Naruto ordered. The waitress bowed and left.

"I guess we'll be teaching each other things, then?" she offered.

Konohamaru nodded, beaming.

"Be careful of the moonglow - if the chef prepared it wrong, it could kill you." Naruto snickered at the sudden pallor of her Padawan. "I'll be right back." She stood, intending to go to the 'fresher.

~:~

Prince Xizor entered the Manarai, and was showed to a booth. His current bounty hunter, Itachi Uchiha, seemed quite tense as he entered the establishment.

They sat between a booth with two Rodian Senators and two Jedi. Itachi's hand tightened on the menu given to him as he sat in the seat nearest to them.

"So, business," Xizor began with a small smirk. "Would you be willing to work fully with the Black Sun syndicate? I know you're more of a freelance type; the Black Sun could use someone like you. Smuggling spices, bounty hunting..." Moonglow was served. "For a generous fee, of course."

"I prefer working on my own, without certain allegiances," Itachi said tightly. "Despite the work I have done for the Black Sun syndicate, I have my own priorities. No offense intended." Itachi didn't look up.

Xizor shrugged elegantly; then he spotted the young Alterian. Itachi glanced at her before she walked away - and Xizor knew the human's weakness.

"Is she a lover, perhaps?"

Itachi's eyes flashed. "She's a Jedi. Not someone who can break her Code."

"No, I suppose not." Xizor watched her glance at Itachi and him before looking away hastily. Quite a beautiful creature, that one.

Itachi's eyes went blank again. "I have a job to do, Xizor. I want nothing to do with the Black Sun."

"Oh, I do understand. Of course. I just wonder one thing." He stood and smirked. "Did I hear you right, Master Jedi? You are off to war?"

The Alterian Jedi ducked her head. "We are." Her voice was quite muted.

"Please, everyone - a toast, to the Jedi! They help the people in the galaxy suffering from oppression from the Separatists. I toast your efforts, Master Jedi."

He raised his glass. Everyone in the Manarai restaurant held up glasses in toast; the Alterian gave a trembling smile.

He moved closer to the Jedi.

"If you ever come to Falleen, please tell them Prince Xizor asks that they give you the most gracious treatment possible." He offered his hand, as most humans did, and kissed her hand while bowing over it, slightly flaring his pheromones. A blush overtook her face, and Xizor went back to his seat, Itachi's face still curiously blank. Even so, Itachi glared at him.

"I will only work for Black Sun if I get half the payment of whatever offered when it's offered, and only if I get to do what I must first. And only part time. I will not work for Black Sun exclusively," Itachi said silkily.

Inwardly, Xizor smirked. He had the man in his hands. But then, the Alterian didn't know that Alterian biology - as removed as it was from normal human biology or female biology or even Falleen biology - they were twice as susceptible to Falleen pheromones when they were unaware of said pheromones; it was harder to influence one when they were aware of the pheromones. Also, Alterians were also susceptible to _both_ genders of Falleen society.

Xizor wanted Itachi fully in his web, and if he had to arrange an _accident_ for the girl on Falleen... Well, he'd have a tight hold on the woman Itachi didn't know was his weakness.


	29. Chapter 29

Naruto and Konohamaru got into battle-ready mindsets. They knew they'd be going in under heavy fire with Obi-Wan, and - for everyone on the shuttle - brought seven crates full of Manarai food that could be reheated for the 'army of Jedi' that was being sent to Christophsis.

(Slight miscommunication, but the clones had never eaten Manarai food, right? So they would. But first they'd have to offload it onto the _Endurance._ Naruto and Konohamaru both agreed that neither wanted the shuttle to be damaged so she, Konohamaru, and Obi-Wan were all switching shuttles.)

After switching shuttles, the three Jedi got off in what seemed like a rare break for the three Jedi already down there.

"Naruto!" Anakin looked exhausted. "You're here!" Naruto nodded, grinning. "Alright. Fill me up."

Naruto beamed and pressed her hand on Anakin's neck. Drawing on his exhaustion, Naruto let it pass through her and make her sway a little.

"Where's Anora and your Padawan?" Naruto asked. Noticing his put-out face, Naruto jerked her hand to Konohamaru's small form. "Just got one myself."

" _You_ got a _Padawan?"_ Anakin asked, shocked.

"I know," Naruto grimaced. "I like him, though. I think I'll keep him. He's adorable, and I _think_ he'll fetch when I say so." She grinned and winked at Ani, who smiled back.

"Anora's keeping watch over Ahsoka as she sleeps. They come in waves; I think there's a plant manufacturing them, but we're pinned." Anakin moved over to the display board. "I think they're coming from here, here and here. No civilians in the way - we evacuated them first, that's why we're pinned. They are in a bunker under the surface." A green dot showed where the civilians were. Naruto nodded, biting her lip.

"They also have a shield generator that's keeping our blaster fire from penetrating it," One said, taking his helmet off. One nodded at his general.

Another clone took his helmet off. "I'm Captain Rex, assigned to General Skywalker," Rex said, holding out his hand.

"Jedi Naruto Uzumaki, this is my Padawan, Konohamaru Sarutobi," Naruto responded nicely.

Anakin eyed her. "You look strange."

Naruto had kept her robes on the _Endurance,_ instead using the authentic _beskar_ she'd gotten from Jango. Her boots hid her lightsaber while her whip was used as a decorative belt, the handle of which was near her right hand. If she needed it, it could be whipped out without needing too many movements. Her lightsaber could be summoned with the Force, anyway, so she was good.

She also held her own helmet.

Instead of the red her armor had once held, Naruto had meticulously painted over it and made it orange. Orange was a better color, in her opinion. Random splashes of black also showed up on her armor.

"Nice armor, General," One said respectfully.

Naruto smiled brightly. "Thanks! I painted it myself!" She frowned at Anakin's 'cough'. "Let's focus on seeing if there's a factory here. Then, we'll destroy it."

~:~

"We've managed to hold back the Republic for two weeks now, Count. But supplies are getting thin, and the factories cannot produce much more before they shut down! And the fleet above us is destroyed - mostly by our own ships that were turned to the other side!" Whorm Loathsom slammed a fist on the table in front of him.

Whorm was a male Kerkoiden and hailed from the planet Kerkoida that was in Separatist space. Most of his people agreed with the ideals of the Separatist movement.

"How many Jedi have appeared?" The Count questioned.

"Six," Whorm reported. "Six Jedi have appeared - of the six, I know of four of them, one by reputation." He knew General Skywalker's tactics well by now - keep the civilians from harm, keep every inch gained and retreat only when necessary; General Kyorsk's tactics was the attack from the sides; and the child they brought seemed to love blocking the shots his droids shot.

And General Uzumaki - she was, according to some worlds in the Confederacy of Independent Systems (or the Separatist Alliance) - one of the most compassionate Jedi in this generation. Unorthodox, treated the impossible as possible, and tricked a Separatist Nemoidian commander into coming aboard her ship while she'd taken control of the other vessel.

He didn't know why they were being foolish enough to bring children onto the battlefield.

"Names?"

"Anakin Skywalker, Anora Kyorsk, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Naruto Uzumaki." Whorm saw the leader of the Separatist Alliance scowl and brush on his beard.

"Leave the planet to its fate," Dooku decided. "We cannot afford to have another battalion in the hands of the Jedi."

"As you wish, Count Dooku," Whorm bowed. The hologram vanished and Whorm turned to his tactical droid. "Load up the shield generators and let us leave this planet to its fate; we have no need to stay here."

"Yes, sir," the tactical droid droned.

"Hurry up!" Whorm bellowed.

~:~

Naruto frowned at the shuttles leaving the surface of the planet. "Looks like they're escaping," she observed blandly. "Admiral Yularen, there's several shuttles escaping the surface. Can you get it?" she asked the holoimage.

Yularen nodded. "Yes."

Naruto nodded back and disconnected. "They won't be escaping for long. Let's finish this." She swept her lightsaber in a large arc, destroying a ton of droids. Konohamaru flung his hand out, sending them flying; him and Ahsoka seemed to get along quite well.

"Konohamaru! Go to the factory and throw the explosives in it!" Naruto called, throwing her lightsaber. It destroyed an entire battalion, thanks to the fact it was her dual-bladed saber; she summoned it back with the Force, being careful not to slice her arm off.

Anakin pouted as he stopped behind her. "You're so lucky!"

Naruto didn't answer, spinning her blade.

"Should I just toss the bag in?" Konohamaru called to her. "I set ONE of the charges in here..."

"Go ahead!" Naruto replied, Force blasting a group of droids.

The factory blew up, killing the droids' connection and making the remaining droids drop.

"General!" Admiral Yularen appeared, looking pleased. "Whorm Loathsom and the other shuttles have been captured. Two tactical droids and several shield generators."

"Good," Naruto said, looking at Anakin. "We'll be down here, helping clean-up. Anakin, you go up with your apprentice and Anora; Obi-Wan, Konohamaru and I will start cleaning up. Leave us some of the troopers."

Anakin nodded, clapping her on the back. "Relief should be coming from Alderaan soon," he told her.

Naruto smiled a little. "I'm glad."

~:~

A little girl named Moegi flinched as footsteps, sounding kind of metallic, echoed.

Everyone huddled a little, until Moegi listened harder.

"- they have to come all the way down _here?_ It's too long!"

"You are way younger than me, apprentice - but _clearly_ you've never been to Ansion. _They_ have the longest staircases in the galaxy."

"Are you messing with me?"

"Me? I would never!"

"..yeah, you're messing with me."

"In all seriousness, Ansion _is_ crazy. They _do_ have a ton of staircases... I've just never been. Now stand back." The door started unlocking. Moegi stood back.

"It's okay!" she said cheerfully. "They're not those metal things!"

"I'd hope not." The mayor of the city raised his blaster as the door creaked eerily open. There was shadows - and then someone stepped in, looking around. She was an unfamiliar woman wearing orange-striped white armor with black splashes. A tail swept behind her, and she had two set of ears - furry orange ears that seemed to twitch every which way and regular human ones she seemed to keep stuffed with cotton.

A lightsaber was held loosely in her hands, along with a helmet she held to her body with her arm.

"Hello, people of Christophsis! We made a mess outside, but that's expected seeing as we were fighting killer droids," she explained. "We moved the bodies of our dead, but we do need to find a place for a proper bonfire send off. Anyone wanna help with that?"

Moegi lifted up her hands. "My mama's farm is open," she said shyly.

"What of the droids?" the mayor questioned, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto waved her hand. "Melt 'em. They're useless - I'd keep the guns, of course; protecting yourselves from invaders might become necessary."

A kid Moegi's age (maybe a year or two older) appeared behind the older woman.

"Master, One is wondering if we're leaving tonight."

"No. We've got to burn the dead. We can't let anyone take their DNA and try to use it like the Kaminoans do," the older Jedi explained. "You can go back to the ship, Konohamaru."

Konohamaru shrugged. "Okay."

~:~

Moegi didn't see any trace of the bodies of the clones that night _or_ the next morning when she woke up. She had a scarf that her mama was going to get rid of in her hands as she raced out to meet the Jedi woman before she left - a scarf and a wind chime, anyway. The wind chime was made of Christophsis crystal, one of the hardest gems in the galaxy (aside from kyber crystals). The scarf was for Konohamaru, and the wind chime was for the Jedi master, Naruto.

"Naruto! Master Naruto!" Moegi's cries made the departing Jedi stop and turn. Moegi blushed a little and held out the scarf and wind chime. "My mama and I thought we ought to give you and Konohamaru something - as a thank-you for defending us. I've heard of the rules of the Jedi, but... I just wanted Konohamaru to have the scarf and you the wind chime." She shoved the bundle into the Jedi's arms and waved. "Come visit us!"

Naruto granted her a brilliant smile.

"Moegi, become great."

Moegi blushed to the roots of her hair as Naruto left. Moegi was a budding artist; and as she raced home, she thought of a painting.

A Jedi with six birthmarks on her face, leading an army of clone troopers and Jedi into battle.

Oh, yeah. Moegi _would_ become great; if only to not disappoint the Jedi who had told her to become so.


	30. Chapter 30

Naruto passed Konohamaru in the hallway of the _Endurance._ "Konohamaru, come see me in my quarters when you have time."

She swept through the hallways and ended up near her quarters, not bothering to visit her brother; he'd sense she was here. Placing her bundle on her bed, she started to get changed.

Since Anora was female as well, Naruto and Anora had agreed (on one of the breaks on Christophsis) that they wouldn't worry about each other changing in the same vicinity. However, Naruto _did_ get self-conscious; Naruto happened to be facing the bathroom and Anora was exiting it. The lightsaber burn that Anakin had given her stood out, despite the fact that it was healing.

Naruto felt her face burn as she put on leggings and turned to get her tunic.

"Naruto... Your back..."

Naruto sighed. "I know. I was a slave, it happened a lot." Watto didn't have the credits to _always_ keep her in the junk shop, and some sentients didn't have qualms about hitting her with a vibrowhip if she did something wrong, accident or not. Sure, she had a lot of friends in the Mos Eisley spaceport; but a lot of sentients down there were vicious and cruel.

Anora looked horrified. "Have you ever told anyone?"

"I didn't feel a need, no," Naruto replied, annoyed. "Please, Anora. Nobody needs to know." _Especially not Anakin_. After his arrival when she was six and him seven, she hadn't been sent off as much. Watto couldn't afford to keep buying medical supplies for her, even as his reputation grew.

A chime sounded. "Master, you sent for me?"

"Ah, Konohamaru!" She shot Anora a warning look and put on a genuine smile as the door opened and Konohamaru stood there.

"I'm leaving," Anora said, shooting a displeased look at Naruto. "See you later."

Konohamaru frowned. "Did something happen between you and Master Kyorsk?"

"It's amazing how polite you are," Naruto said dryly, "after someone hits you. What is your take on the rule of 'no possession'?"

Blinking at the sudden change in subject, Konohamaru shrugged. "I never really cared," he confessed. "I mean, I know how to hide things." He ducked his head; Naruto chuckled and set a hand on his shoulder.

~:~

Looking up in his master's eyes, Konohamaru stared at her in shock.

"I've never paid much attention to _that_ part of the Code," she said to him with a soft smile. "In fact, when we're back at the Temple, I'll show you my room. Anyway - here. Moegi, the girl who offered her home? She wanted to give this to you." She handed Konohamaru a soft scarf that was VERY long. "She gave me a wind chime." Konohamaru smiled at the scarf, then looked at the wind chime. "Don't have much use for it anywhere but Christophsis, but..." Naruto shrugged, opening a chest. "You can put whatever you want in here. I'll get in trouble." Konohamaru put the scarf in there, and she put the wind chimes in her armor. "You and I are headed to a moon outpost; it's a three-week assignment."

Konohamaru eyed her skeptically. "Why so long?"

"It's just been completed. It's one of the vital information outposts, and Master Windu want us there so we can help aid the troopers there." His master's face twisted briefly. "I'm to train you a little more. Ahsoka - Anakin's Padawan - has more training than you. Training you there with very little distraction would help."

Konohamaru sighed. "Alright, fine." He pouted.

Naruto put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be hell for me, kid. And I don't mean training you, I mean stuck somewhere there _isn't_ other people. I mean, sure, there's going to be clones, but -" Naruto bit her lip. "I'm used to feeling more than ten people around me at once. I guess that's what Master Windu wants me to learn."

"Learning sucks," Konohamaru said flatly.

Naruto chuckled.

"That is does, Konohamaru."

"Kono." At her lip, Konohamaru blushed. "Back home, Grandfather called me Kono - I'd like for you too, as well. If it's okay."

Naruto smiled again.

"It's fine, Kono."

~:~

There were five rookies and one sergeant stationed at Rishi Station. All of them were busy doing one activity or another, only to pause and look towards the message board.

One of them - Hevy, his nickname was - answered it.

"This is Rishi Station Outpost. State your name and reason for coming this way."

"This is Jedi Knight Naruto Uzumaki, here with Commander One and my Padawan learner, Padawan Konohamaru Sarutobi. We were told you were waiting for us?"

"We haven't received anything like that from the higher-ups," Hevy responded.

A new voice joined on the comm., not speaking to them.

"Did you even _send_ it, General?"

"...Ah, bantha poodoo. Hold on." A new message popped up, this one from Mace Windu. "Sorry about that, I forgot. Now can we land or what?"

"Of course, General," Hevy responded respectfully.

The platform was created, and the shuttle flew down.

About ten minutes passed, and the doors opened, admitting in several clones and two Jedi in robes.

Hevy snapped to attention; the other rookies - Droidbait, Cutup, Echo, and Fives - did the same. Sergeant O'Niner was asleep.

"At ease, troopers," the Jedi said with a smile that actually _did_ put them at ease. "I'm like you, but with weird abilities that don't define me. Wait!" She paused. "Has Jango said anything about me?" She looked hopeful.

Hevy glanced around his group of clones.

"...I've never met Jango Fett," he answered quietly. "Just the other bounty hunters hired to train us."

She looked visibly disappointed. "I see. Are there any quarters available for my group?"

"Of course, General. Will they be staying?" he asked, glancing at his brethren.

"Yes." Naruto eyed them shrewdly. "I hope that's not an issue."

"Of course not, General." He gestured. "I suppose you're exhausted?"

"The kid is," Naruto patted her Padawan's shoulder.

"You _just_ got back from a war zone and you're _still_ recovering from the life-threatening illness you contracted," her Padawan said flatly. "I'm amazed you even made it here without passing out, old hag."

Naruto swatted him on the head. "Listen, you little punk! I'm your _master,_ and I said to go to your room!"

"Oh, shut up, _hag!"_

"Want another round of Force training? Here!"

"No, Master! I'll go to my room!" Naruto smiled and set the kid down.

"Good boy~" she patted his head.

The kid scowled.

Hevy smirked and gestured at Echo to take them to their rooms. The Jedi looked around her approvingly.

"Just so you know, I don't give a damn what you listen to. Or what you do. I will be meditating... Mind if I do so right here?"

She pointed down at the floor, in front of the control center.

"Of course not, General - we're not exactly using that space." He smiled at her, taken in by her brilliant personality.


	31. Chapter 31

**I don't own 'Dark on Me'. And if I must say it, I don't own Naruto or Star Wars either. Fanfiction site, guys.**

 **~:~**

Naruto sat in front of the control center, resting her mind and flowing with the Force, entering her own mind to speak with Kurama.

" _So you've decided to visit me, then?" Kurama's eyes were down, eyeing her lightsaber. "I'd appreciate it if you made your own lightsaber."_

" _Oh, don't start that." Naruto sat on a comfy chair. Kurama had seemed to make this space her own. "Look, I just want to talk. Girl to girl - Alterian to Alterian. I... Don't know much about Alterian history."_

 _Kurama stared at her._

" _First things first." Kurama stood up. "I am Sith. You are Jedi. We're natural enemies." Kurama tossed her lightsaber into the depths of Naruto's mind. "I swear upon the Force with which I am here that I will_ not _harm you or your allies. I may be Sith, but I held a code of honor back when I was truly alive and held a physical body. I do not kill frivolously. Nor did I become Sith to take over the entire galaxy - I became Sith to stop the rest of Them."_

 _Naruto frowned._

" _Who?"_

 _Kurama scowled. "Ibonhis was our homeworld, the continent called Alteria that we Force-sensitives lived on, mostly separate from our non-Force sensitive neighbors. I was gifted with incredible intellect and power, like the others, my siblings. Shukaku, my brother, was the second oldest but had little patience for the intricacies of the Force; Matatabi preferred preening over using her Force powers. Isobu liked reading. Son Goku liked using brute force over listening. Kokuo... Kokuo liked leaving. Saiken was too shy to leave our home and learn. Chomei preferred books like Isobu. Gyuki was focused on his awful-as-hell rapping. I alone chose to focus on the power of both the Light and Dark; and after careful consideration, I chose my oldest brother's way. Indra's way. The Dark Side gave me power." Kurama swallowed. "My littlest sibling, Asura, chose the Light. He and Indra were well-matched - but when Indra and Asura fought, it was the beginning of trouble for us all._

" _My siblings began infighting, using the Force they had ignored once upon a time. Their conflict became so great I stepped in, using my powers to turn them into frightened shells; but it was for naught. Asura died, and they banded together using a link Indra formed with them. Turning their might on me they tried to kill me. I fled and decided on a course of action that sealed the fate of my people." Kurama closed her eyes. "I met with a human researching immortality, and who had fused with a snake. To prevent him from getting close to immortality, I killed him after I learned the secret of his fusion; with permission from my daughter, Mito, I used that formula to fuse her with a fox, and I found a way to let the creatures of my planet to live on. Mito convinced hundreds of people to join in and survive. After I finished, the families lived._

" _One family did not join in, requesting to remain 'pure of blood'. The Uchiha desired the knowledge of alchemy and wanted to survive. Helped by them, I created a hyperspace wormhole. To the new world, a world similar to ours. Animals left with the families that had chosen to resemble them, and the families themselves left."_

 _Kurama paused._

" _And then, with the creation of the wormhole, I brought upon my own death. However, with the research I had gathered, I found an incomplete formula for eternal life. Orochimaru had helped me again. I knew my siblings were crazy; so to save our people I turned to close the wormhole - Chomei, Matatabi, Saiken, and Gyuki escaped through the portal before I closed it._

" _As a result, Force Storms exploded over Ibonhis, and I fought my siblings. One at a time, they died as I used the power of the Force storms to kill them, mixed with my own power. Regretfully, I was killed by Shukaku. The damn coward struck me down when I left him for dead. He stuck his lightsaber in my heart." A wicked smile came over her face. "I cleaved his head from his body."_

" _Wait, so there were kyber crystals?" Naruto asked, shocked._

 _Kurama snorted. "Of course. Not_ everyone _wielded a lightsaber. Those that did were the warriors. Our kyber mines were also transported; I created the portal beneath Yosuga mountain. It sank into it - purposefully, obviously."_

 _Naruto swallowed. "I see. You became Sith, used your Sith powers to help your people - what color was your lightsaber?"_

" _I didn't break my kyber," Kurama scowled, looking kind of insulted. "I tapped into the Light often enough in my youth to be able to choose a kyber crystal, but I am primarily a Sith and my kyber understands." Kurama sighed. "I vow this to you: I will do what I can to aide you. Know, though, that I am Dark and not Light. I will not tap into the Light simply because you do."_

" _How exactly did you become immortal?"_

" _Oh, I didn't. Orochimaru wanted immortality for the body; I wanted immortality for the mind. When one of my descendants connected with the Dark, I was alive in them, unaware... Fragmented. My ambitions are nonexistent. I am a product of my own hatred and the Force. The Force granted me my desire, and I will not lose that chance so easily."_

 _Naruto took a breath. "I won't tap into the Dark Side, Kurama. But... If I do need you, I will call on you."_

 _Kurama smiled. "That is all I ask, descendant. They call you... Naruto, do they not?"_

" _They do." Naruto looked around at her surroundings. "Would you like... Better accommodation?"_

" _Sure!" Kurama beamed._

 _Naruto... Thought._

 _Instantly, things appeared. Books, food... Everything Naruto had, she put it into a home. The blankets that had been gifts appeared in her mindspace, sheets for a bed... Everything Kurama could want or need._

 _Kurama grinned at her. "Thanks, descendant."_

" _Please, call me Naruto," Naruto responded. "I should go now - I have to train my Padawan."_

~:~

"Think the Jedi's still sitting there?" Hevy heard Echo asking as they woke up and headed to the mess. The Jedi had been quite unresponsive through the night, sitting there on the cold, hard floor.

"Eh, if she is, she's probably immersed herself in that 'Force' of theirs. I swear it's like a cult!" Fives said.

The Padawan opened his door as they passed, looking very much like a child. "It _is_ a cult. A cult of powerful people who could probably destroy the galaxy if only one of them screwed up and decided to join the Sith - oh, wait. One already did. Oh, well." Konohamaru smirked sleepily at them. "Let's go eat!"

Hevy stifled a snort as they entered the mess hall, quickly stopping as they heard singing.

" _There's no hate, there's no love_

 _Only dark skies that hang above_

 _I call your name as I walk alone_

 _Send a signal to guide me home_

 _Light the night up, you're my dark star_

 _And now you're falling away_

 _But I found in you, what was lost in me_

 _In a world so cold and empty_

 _I could lie awake just to watch you breathe_

 _In the dead of night, you en-dark on me_

 _You're the cause, the antidote_

 _The sinking ship that I could not let go_

 _Who led my way and disappeared_

 _How could you just walk away and leave me here?_

 _Light the night up, you're my dark star_

 _And now you're falling away_

 _But I found in you, what was lost in me_

 _In a world so cold and empty_

 _I could lie awake just to watch you breathe_

 _In the dead of night, you en-dark on me_

 _I can't do this on my own_

 _You're all I've got to guide me home_

 _I could lie awake just to watch you breathe_

 _In the dead of night, you en-dark on me_

 _Dark on me, dark on me, dark on me_

 _Dark on me, dark on me_

 _I could lie awake just to watch you breathe_

 _In the dead of night, you en-dark on me..."_

The Jedi was _singing._ And dancing.

She turned and stopped, her face turning red as she stared at them. Her tail swished around her, almost frantically.

"Wow, Master!" Konohamaru said after a moment of dead silence. "That was great - wait a minute!" He pointed at her accusingly. "Going to the concerts isn't allowed at the Temple!"

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Uh... It was... It was..." Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Okay, Coruscant was having a concert and Anakin has a wife, so I blackmailed him into letting me go... AND YOU BETTER NOT TELL THE COUNCIL, ANY OF YOU, OR I WILL CASTRATE YOU!" She pointed the spatula she held at them.

"With a _spatula?"_ Konohamaru asked in disbelief.

She grinned. Her canines suddenly looked sharper.

"Perhaps we'll come back later..." Echo suggested, his voice tiny.

Konohamaru backed out.

Naruto lunged as the doors closed, causing the clones and Padawan to jump.

"Let me guess," One said, making the rookies jump. "You've never met Jango Fett, and therefore never met her."

Everyone in the hall shook their heads.

"Let's go to the control room," One suggested in a friendly manner. "Leave her to her work."

One clapped Hevy on the shoulder and walked off.


	32. Chapter 32

Naruto gave a welcoming smile to the clone troopers. Obviously, One had done his job and warned the idiots about disturbing her while she cooked. It just wasn't done. One had no clue _when_ she'd attempted to castrate Jango (and she was _not_ going to tell him, either), but according to him and the rest of the clones it couldn't have been _too_ bad since Jango didn't wince at her presence when the threat was still hanging in the air... Nobody would try to test that out, though. Nobody would test Naruto Uzumaki.

Konohamaru, though, was pale as a ghost.

"Master... After this... Want to learn some of the home language?" Konohamaru asked, looking up at his happily-eating master.

She smiled. "Sure thing, Kono!"

~:~

Anakin Skywalker glanced at his Padawan. "You okay?"

Ahsoka was frowning. "I'm not sure, Master. I just don't feel right meeting with a bounty hunter."

"Good," a new voice said, causing both to tense. "You shouldn't. Jedi should never feel at ease with meeting one of us." The woman revealed was Aurra Sing. "Unless you're a certain batshit-crazy Jedi I should mention. But I won't." Sing smirked. "You're the brat's brother?"

Anakin looked less than pleased. "Hello, Aurra. It's been awhile since Watto's shop."

Yes, it has, boy. Aurra switched to Huttese effortlessly. Where _is_ the brat?

Training an apprentice away from the battlefield, Anakin said, scowling as he spoke Huttese. Tell me what you wanted.

First, the glitterstim. I have, after all, a payment to make, Sing replied, holding out one of her hands. Anakin set the glitterstim in her hands, and Sing smiled. Naruto wanted to know the location of possible Jedi Temples. I found a few on Dubrillion. Give her this - and it will only work for her, got it, boy?

Anakin took the holo-device and nodded. I'd say thanks, but since you're _Aurra Sing_ you _do_ have a reputation to uphold.

Precisely. Good-bye. Aurra nodded, then seemed to vanish.

Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Master, was that Huttese?"

Anakin's eyes widened and stared at Ahsoka for a minute. "Yes," he replied cautiously. "Please don't tell the masters."

Ahsoka shrugged. "Master, you're my master right now. Not them. I won't tell them you are meeting secretly with a bounty hunter - I bet the masters have done other stuff like that and not told anyone else."

"That's not exactly reassuring, Snips," Anakin sighed. "Let's go."

~:~

Naruto inspected her student's stance. Feet were a shoulder length apart, his lightsaber up and ready... Naruto nodded.

"Have to be ready for anything, Konohamaru." Naruto turned her lightsaber on, shifting into Niman. "I fight with Niman." Her lightsaber had a few settings, from when she was a Padawan. She'd set it on low power. "Try to block my moves with the Force - feel, do not _see."_ Konohamaru nodded, his eyes closed.

Naruto moved slowly but silently. Konohamaru followed her, turning when it was necessary - he wasn't in sync like Naruto wanted him to be. She lunged at him, and he just _barely_ blocked the strike. Konohamaru moved his foot back as Naruto swept her foot forward, then swung her saber low. Konohamaru stepped back, flinching as he felt the coldness of the control panel, and Naruto used her tail to make him shriek and let go of his lightsaber. Opening his eyes, Naruto allowed her tail to uncurl from around his wrist.

"That," she said, "is how you die. Using your enhanced senses instead of the Force."

Konohamaru opened his eyes. "How did you know?"

"I felt very little Force resonating in you," Naruto frowned. "We'll have to work on that. Keep your mind open." She shut her lightsaber off. "I'm done teaching you until you learn to use the Force as one of your enhanced senses." Konohamaru looked sad. "Go meditate. Learn to use it like... An extension of yourself. Alterians are connected with the Force, a connection that cannot be broken unless the Force breaks it. _Use_ that connection," Naruto urged him.

Konohamaru's face set with determination. He walked out of the room, jaw set.

Naruto stretched.

"Aren't you being a little harsh, General?" One asked, his face in a frown.

Naruto shook her head. "I don't think so. If he learns to wield it as I do, then no, I don't think so."

~:~

Kushina stared at the vault with kyber crystals in it. Several niches were empty; Kushina turned back and pulled up the video feed.

A redhead Madara had expelled from Alteria was using the Force to steal the kyber crystals in the video; Kushina slammed a fist into a nearby wall.

"I need the help of the Jedi," she said, troubled, to her husband.

"Should we call for our daughter?" Minato asked, his blue eyes full of genuine worry.

"Ask if she is available, at least," Kushina said, closing her eyes. "I want to know her."

"I know." Minato glanced at the video feed. "But first, we must find out who that girl is."

~:~

" _I respectfully ask that the one sent to Alteria be Alterian in nature,"_ Lady Kushina said to the Council, bowing her head.

"Would you like it if your daughter was the one sent? She is among the only Alterian we have trained." Ki-Adi Mundi was handling it better than Mace Windu would.

Lady Kushina smiled tightly. " _She is the only one you have trained_ successfully, _correct? If my request is granted, then she will be back after a fortnight. This is an internal matter, after all."_

"Your request is granted, and she will be there soon." Lady Kushina bowed, and the holo-image went out. "Why didn't you handle that?" Mundi turned to Mace Windu.

Windu scowled. "Ever since Mito Uzumaki was sent here, they called us kidnappers and thieves. They only sent the kid because he was too troublesome for them to handle at the moment, what with a civil war going on." Windu stood. "I'll get in contact with Uzumaki."


	33. Chapter 33

"Master, I think I have it down," Konohamaru said, just as the station's message thing blinked.

Naruto nodded at her Padawan in apologetic acknowledgment. She opened the channel, and Mace Windu's image appeared.

"Master, you called?" Naruto asked, standing tall. Her hands were folded behind her back.

"I'm afraid a situation has occured on your home planet of Alderaan," Master Windu said. "Leave your Padawan at Rishi Station and get to Alderaan. ONLY you, Uzumaki. You must return before two weeks pass." With a nod, Windu was gone.

"You have to leave?" Konohamaru said in a sad voice.

Naruto turned to him. "I could take you with me, and -"

"Master," Konohamaru interrupted. "You need this more than I do."

Naruto's face fell for a moment. "Okay." She swallowed. "I promise I'll be back in two weeks. I _promise._ If I'm not, head to Kamino - the troopers can take you. One! Hevy!" She turned to the two troopers she thought most trustworthy. "My apprentice gets _one scratch,_ and I'll make sure that interrupting my cooking is the _least_ you'll have to worry about, got it?"

One grinned. "I'll keep both my eyes on him. Promise."

Naruto smiled and hugged Konohamaru.

~:~

Naruto got off the ship on Alderaan, a pink-haired, lab-coated woman stood at the bottom. A cat's tail and two cat ears protruded from her body.

"Lady Naruto!" The pinkette swept into a bow. "Follow me, my lady. We will be taking a transport to Alteria." Naruto looked at her ship. "The ship will be safe, my lady. New clothes will be provided. I am Haruno Sakura - or Sakura Haruno - and I will be your guide and medic until you leave," Sakura finished with a practiced smile. "As Lady Kushina's daughter, you are very important to our people -"

"No offense, Sakura-san," Naruto interrupted, "I just flew all the way here. I'm really tired and hungry, and I'd rather you cut all the political shit, okay?"

Sakura chuckled a little. "All right. Let's get you to Lady Kushina."

~"~

Sakura looked at the Alterian next to her. Her boyfriend, Neji, looked at her from under his helmet. Communicating with their eyes, the two had a conversation.

 _She seems uneasy,_ Neji seemed to say.

Sakura shrugged. _It IS her first time here, awake, that is._ Sakura glanced at her. She was leaned forward, looking like she was in prayer as she was bent over her lap. She glanced back to Neji. _Maybe we better hurry before the crowds get to the transporter._

 _You think?_ Neji's eyes seem to say sarcastically.

Sakura tapped the Jedi on the shoulder. The Jedi flinched under her touch - then turned her scarred face to Sakura.

"We need to hurry if we are to get past the majority of the crowds," Sakura explained. "Not everyone is particularly pleased with Lady Kushina's actions."

Naruto winced. "Inviting me?"

"Inviting Jedi," Neji spoke, his voice cold. "We do not like Jedi."

Naruto flinched. "I see."

Sakura sighed. "What's done is done. Lady Kushina is going to take you to Tsunade- _shishuo_ tomorrow; Lady Kushina trusts her opinions on matters of the mind."

Naruto looked at her. "That's... You're calling her 'master', aren't you?"

Sakura chuckled, a little disbelievingly. "I had little trouble believing you didn't know me, but you don't even know our _language?"_

"I don't remember anything from before I was three," Naruto said, her voice cold and her face stony. "I was tortured by Zygerrian slavers, so _pardon me_ if I don't remember you _or_ our shared language."

Neji sighed and stood as the transport slowed.

" _Welcome to Alteria,"_ a cool, feminine voice said in Basic, then repeated it in Huttese and what Naruto could only assume was Alterian.

"Let us get to Lady Kushina."

The guards stood, Sakura standing with her.

"You may keep your weapons on you," Sakura said as they disembarked. "Just be aware that they will all know you are a Jedi."

"I know," Naruto said curtly, following behind her.

Sakura winced at her earlier tactlessness.

~:~

Naruto saw the lovely city nestled in the valley beneath the ring of mountains. It was a large valley - large enough for it to be in what seemed like completely separate areas. One was a desert, with buildings made of sand; one was made completely of rocks, with rock buildings; one was... Well, built for height, she supposed, with Coruscant-esque buildings; one area was surrounded by water and had canals and boats going every which way; the final part was an area with regular-looking homes that Naruto had seen on several planets. There were also treehouses (which was sooo cool), a large school, and a tower in the middle that had a single symbol on it.

Naruto took a deep breath and stared out at it, her mouth open. She reached for the Force and saw colors - so many colors! Almost everyone here had them. They varied, too - from indigo to red. Naruto let the colors slip away from her as she blinked. She had learned that she'd always been tapping into the Force randomly when she saw peoples' 'colors'; she still did it when she met new people, but at least she could dismiss the color and see _past_ it.

The Force was strong here. Everything was tied into it, it seemed.

"Come," Sakura said with a hesitant smile.

Naruto finally moved and followed her, going down the steps to a speeder. There were people standing there, looking up in interest and anger.

Naruto swallowed and stepped into view.

They started forward, seemingly intent on asking loads of questions, yelling insults in her face - but they all stopped to just _stare._

"In," Sakura hissed.

Naruto got in, and the guard who had spoken started the speeder; they were off before anyone could ask a question.

The city whizzed by, but Naruto ignored it as she worried - and Anakin's mind brushed hers.

 _Just got told about your assignment - are you alright, sis?_

 _I'm fine, brother._ Naruto swallowed again. _Really nervous, though - I finally get to meet my mother for the first time in my memory._

Anakin sighed. _I hope it goes well. Oh! Aurra Sing got that thing you asked for to me._

 _Good._ Naruto couldn't say more; the speeder had stopped. _I have to go._

Anakin didn't respond as she got out and walked up the steps to the open door of the house that _had_ to be her mother's.

And there she was, standing in the living room, food on the table.

"Hello, Mother," Naruto said softly.

Lady Kushina burst into tears and rushed at her; Naruto stood there for a few moments rather stiffly before holding her mother close.

"Hello, Naruto," her father, Minato, said with a smile. "I'm Minato. Your father."

Naruto smiled, still hugging her mother. "I kind of got that, Father. I look a lot like you, after all."

Minato chuckled. It was a warm sound. "Let's eat!" Kushina nodded and released her daughter. "Sakura, Neji, come back tomorrow; I'm sure Naruto, Kushina, and I will want to catch up."

Sakura nodded. "Okay. See you tomorrow!" She waved at Naruto.

Naruto waved back, and Minato shut the door. Kushina sat at the table, Minato and Naruto following.

Sitting down, Kushina waited for Naruto to eat the rice balls; then she asked the question that was hanging over the two parents.

"What happened to you?"

Naruto thought for a moment.

"I think... It was Zygerrian slavers. You visited them, helped them with something, and then I was gone." Naruto stared down at her food. "I saw it in a vision when I was making my lightwhip."

She glanced up at them. Minato was looking angry, and Kushina... Kushina's eyes were scarlet.

"I'm going to kill those bastards." Kushina's scarlet eyes closed as she spoke, then they opened. Naruto swallowed a little. Kushina gave her a tight smile. "I'm sorry, my dear - I just had to know. After all, you're my precious maelstrom."

Naruto smiled faintly. "I... Blamed you guys at first. But I learned that maybe you didn't know."

Kushina looked saddened. "By the time we returned they denied anything to do with you. The Zygerrian Queen had just left, so we couldn't demand where you were of her. We nearly went to war." Kushina closed her eyes. "I looked for you, using our peoples' methods."

Naruto set her chopsticks down. "Do I have any siblings?"

Kushina bit her lip and looked at Minato, who answered.

"Your other siblings went missing after you did," he whispered. "It was Deidara, Karin, Tayuya, and you. Deidara was the oldest - two years older than you - and Karin and Tayuya were only a year older than you, being twins. None of them inherited the fox traits you did, Naruto; Deidara wasn't Force-sensitive, Karin and Tayuya were both too young to show any aptitude, and you all got along. They day we had to leave, the babysitter took them but couldn't take you because there wasn't enough room." Minato took a deep breath, but Naruto frowned and interrupted.

"I had a vision, in the Caves of Ilum," Naruto said, her voice small, "and I saw you and Mother standing there, but no siblings. I heard what happened after you left Zygerria - Alderaan was safe from Zygerrian influence because of what you did. Which was what?"

Kushina sighed. "We saved the Zygerrian queen from the Kessel mines."

Naruto had heard of that, in her many jaunts into the Coruscanti underworld. The Kessel spice mines were hell for anyone; smugglers who got caught were usually put in there, along with war criminals and SOME political prisoners. It was the deepest pit of the galaxy - the place the trash went that nobody wanted to dispose of and nobody wanted found.

Naruto picked up her chopsticks.


	34. Chapter 34

Deidara jerked out of his daze, staring at the blueprints of the bomb he'd been working on. Since the incident with the Alterian, something had been bugging Deidara.

The girl had looked so _familiar._

Sasori entered the room he and Deidara lived in.

"Something wrong?" he asked, tilting his head at Deidara.

Deidara frowned. "Sasori... Answer me honestly. How do I know Karin and that girl?"

A flash of something not usually seen on Sasori's face flashed over it.

 _Guilt._

"I cannot answer that now," Sasori told him quietly. "I swear I'll answer one day."

Deidara frowned. "Why -" Sasori stopped him with a slam of his hand on the desk Deidara was working on.

"Not. Yet." Sasori stared at Deidara.

Deidara went back to working on his designs, with far less zeal than normal.

~:~

Karin kept her head bent. She was in front of Sidious' holoimage.

"One more task, my dear acolyte. And then you can have what you desire. All of Alteria will be yours." Karin did not dare speak. "Have you placed the kyber crystals where I have told you to put them?"

Karin nodded, still not speaking.

"Good, good." Sidious chuckled. "All my plans are coming to fruition. Now, my dear acolyte, I have hidden a gift for you inside the hiding place you are at. Once you have it, activate the kyber crystals. As you do, you can look at your gift."

Karin bowed her head again.

~:~

"This was your room." Kushina showed her to a room that was painted orange.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Orange!" she whispered with excitement.

Kushina chuckled. "Whenever a child is born, the Seer looks into the future of the child to see their most dominant color." Naruto whirled to stare at her mom, who paused and looked at her daughter. "What is it?"

"The Seer can see colors? Like of their Force use?" Naruto asked, hope clear in her voice.

Kushina beamed. "Yes!" she said, hugging her daughter instinctively. "I'm not surprised you could see the colors - our family has especially felt the Force; we are the direct descendants of the great Force-user who blurred the lines between Sith and Jedi - as you would distinct this - Otsutsuki Hagoromo."

"Oh." Naruto felt disappointment. "I thought -" She hesitated. "Mother... Is having a Sith entity who isn't exactly evil inside my mind a good thing?"

Kushina's eyes widened. "Who?"

"Our ancestor, Kurama."

Kushina's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, Naruto suddenly paled.

"Mother, there is very little time - something is going to burn the mountain _and_ the valley."

~:~

"And _why_ should we trust this Jedi?" asked an old, old man. Naruto wondered why he looked familiar, and took a discreet look around the office.

She looked around - nobody was really watching her - and walked over to the picture with a caption that caught her eyes.

' _The Sarutobi Family',_ the caption read. ' _Hiruzen, Asuma, and Konohamaru'._

Sarutobi. Konohamaru. _Konohamaru Sarutobi!_

"You're the Sandaime dude!" Naruto pointed at the old man. Silence reigned as her mother facepalmed. "You're Konohamaru's dad!"

 _That_ grabbed the old man's attention.

"You know my grandson?"

Naruto smiled. "He's my Padawan. And no, I couldn't bring him here because the Council specified it was a mission for 'me only'; believe me, I was all for disregarding the Council's order, but Kono decided I should go. I _did_ warn the people I left him with that if they harmed him, I wouldn't let them walk away from it completely alive." Naruto looked the old man squarely in the eyes. "I swear on the Force, I will do my utmost to keep Kono alive."

There was a pause.

Kushina smiled. "I think you have your answer, Sandaime."

The Sandaime nodded. "I shall call the Council."

~:~

Naruto sat in a circle with the most powerful Force users, meditating to create a Force Shield; all around the city, all the Force users were concentrating on stopping the damage - or at least minimizing it. No matter where the explosion occurred, the damage would be _outside_ of the Force shield.

As the danger became imminent, Kurama's voice sounded.

 _It's not enough._

Naruto bit her lip. _Can you and I -_

 _It'll hurt, especially since we will both be in your body._ Naruto took a deep breath. _I will do this only once._

 _Go ahead._

Naruto felt loss of feeling in one of her arms, and lost vision in one of her eyes. She didn't panic, only kept her eyes up, on the shield; or where it would be if it was a physical one.

Then she felt it. Pain slowly slid up one side of her body, and her breathing quickened.

The shield bloomed faster, becoming very visible, settling around Yosuga Mountain like a wrap, clinging to it tightly.

Five minutes passed - then Naruto heard cries, feeling the force of the explosion try to tear the shield apart into smithereens.

Naruto held onto it, Kurama's power and her own contrasting.

Kurama laughed in her mind.

Naruto tried to shake out of it as Kurama finally receded, her arms trembling.

"Most of that power wasn't ours," an old geezer said.

Naruto chuckled breathily for a moment, before her body decided it had had enough. She fell back on the stone floor, breathing evenly.


	35. Chapter 35

Itachi unloaded a shipment of deathsticks for the Black Sun; the threat of Xizor doing something to Naruto was something that he didn't want.

A feeling of coldness trickled down his spine, and he dropped the latest box on accident. Something had happened - like the shadow of something a Sith would do.

The man in charge of the shipment approached the Force user.

"You have a quota to -"

Itachi used Force Choke on him. Not the first time he'd done that, but it was the first time he'd done it out of anger.

"Don't - _ever_ \- tell me 'I have a quota'," Itachi hissed. He released the man, then raised his hand. The last boxes floated out, one of the most blatant uses of his Force powers. He set them down carelessly; his job hadn't been to get them there undamaged, just... There. The Black Sun had millions; just because Itachi was on a contract didn't mean he couldn't just walk out of there.

But the Force didn't want him to.

He received his payment, and Itachi stalked off, flipping switches to hurry up and leave.

"Uchiha!"

He turned and glared at the man.

"Master Xizor wishes to see you."

Itachi stalked to him, taking out his shoto saber. "Tell him that I'll kill him if he decides to bother me," he said silkily, igniting his saber and putting it near the messenger's throat.

The man stumbled back. Itachi turned and walked up the steps, whirling around and throwing the shoto saber. It cut through the man; Itachi had sensed the man's blaster coming out to point at his back seconds before his hand moved. The man was dead. Itachi closed his shuttle's ramp and kept walking.

The shadow of the Dark Side was growing.

~:~

Xizor leaned back, pleased. He had an excuse, then, to lure the Jedi to Falleen. He turned to Guri, whose next assignment was clear: take the Padawan of the Jedi and take him to Falleen, then let the information 'leak'.

"Take him _alive_ and unharmed," he ordered Guri, who nodded. "Or at least lightly bruised; enough to where it will heal within the week."

Guri nodded again, walking out of the room without saying anything.

Xizor again pulled up the holo-image of the Jedi woman. She was genuinely attractive. Xizor leaned back in his comfortable chair.

Yes, this would be fun.

~:~

Naruto woke up to arguing.

"- ooh, Tsunade-hime, so fierce!"

"Jiraiya, I swear, one more word and you'll have to go back to the mountain you were raised on to be healed!"

Naruto opened her eyes. A blonde, busty, honey-eyed woman glared at a white-haired man who was _clearly_ ogling her chest.

"I find this very disturbing," Naruto said after a moment of silence, "that _I'm_ the one being treated and the pervert is staring at the medic's chest."

"Oh?" the pervert leered down at Naruto. "How do you know _I'm_ not the medic?"

"You're not green, for one. And two, she's the one with the clipboard. Oh, and three - I highly doubt they'd let an open pervert look over an underage - in most of the galaxy - teenager." Naruto frowned. "At least, I _think_ you're an open pervert."

"She's a seer," the woman said, looking impressed. "And yes, he's an open pervert. He'll look at anything with a rack and two legs."

"Compensating?" Naruto asked, a reluctant grin coming onto her face as the woman burst out laughing, the man instantly getting depressed lines.

"No, no," the woman shook her head, grinning broadly. "No, he's not compensating. Everyone has to deal with it - Jiraiya's powerful and stopped the Second War in its tracks."

"With you, hime!" the man grumbled. "Anyway, kid, Tsunade's my secret wife."

"Secret?" Naruto's befuddled brains took in his robes. "Holy Force, you're a _Jedi?!"_

"Yep!" Jiraiya smirked at her. "Master Jiraiya. I'm allowed to wander around; they don't keep track of me. Not really a member of the Council, either. I've written a series I'm proud of, but they'd expel me for."

Naruto thought, and instantly came up with a solution.

"Let me guess," she said with a sigh. " _Icha Icha."_

Jiraiya looked shocked. "Really? How'd you guess?"

"Because it's the number one best-selling holo-story series. Master Qui-Gon told me." Naruto sat up. "What... Happened, exactly?"

She saw herself in a chair, with darker ears and tail and eyes -

"Kurama!"

Tsunade nodded.

"In this room, the mental issues are separated from the body. When you leave, they go with you." Kurama scowled. "Kurama can't leave and take you with her; she's trapped. But the Elders have announced you as a full member of Alteria." Tsunade tapped her chin. "However, I really would leave soon. Some people here, while accepting of the Dark Side, don't exactly like the fact YOU are the one with Kurama's power."

"Tch. I have my own power." Kurama glared at Tsunade.

"Oh, shut up, Kurama," Tsunade snapped. "Ancient, possibly immortal Sith you might be, but in here, I RULE." Kurama winced, looking a little cowed. Tsunade turned to Naruto. "Please don't tell the Jedi I'm his wife."

"Eh, it's just another secret wife," Naruto waved. "Nothing new to me."

Tsunade's eyebrows flew up. "You have one, too? Who is she?"

Naruto stared at her, uncomprehending.

"Oh, Force no! _I'm_ not married! My brother-who-isn't-really-my-brother got married to a Senator," Naruto laughed sheepishly.

Tsunade looked torn for a moment before she smiled at Naruto.

Naruto had seen that expression on Sakura's face before.

"I knew you before, didn't I?"

Tsunade gave her another tight smile.

"Yeah, I'm your godmother." She slapped Jiraiya with her clipboard.

Jiraiya coughed, his cheeks going a little red as he took out a coin purse. Naruto stared at it, her eyes wide. It was a frog.

"That was going to be your fifth birthday gift."

Naruto took it, hands trembling.

~:~

Jiraiya looked down at her. "Kid, I get it if you don't care much for it -"

Tsunade hit his arm.

Naruto was crying as she held the frog purse.

"Thank you," she said, shakily. "Thank you."

Jiraiya felt awkward.

"Hey, kiddo - I don't know what's wrong -" he stopped at seeing the smile.

"I..."

Kurama stood, walking over to her host. Hugging her, Kurama looked up at Jiraiya and Tsunade.

"She's overwhelmed right now," the Sith said, glaring at them with those red eyes. "Go die in a hole." She patted her host. "There, there, little one."

Jiraiya exchanged a look with Tsunade, and they left the room.

Kushina looked at them - more specifically, Tsunade.

"The block on her mind isn't of Force origins," Tsunade said to Kushina. "I'd say she was forced to forget - most likely by someone more familiar with science than us." Tsunade looked into the room. On this side of the window, it looked like she was curling into midair. But they knew the truth.

Kushina closed her eyes. "I suppose it's time to get some answers from the Zygerrian Queen."


	36. Chapter 36

Anakin sighed as he and Ahsoka stepped into the caf shop on Dubrillion. Aurra Sing sat there, with a hologram of Naruto standing somewhere in completely weird clothes. Naruto smiled at them; she looked tired.

"Naruto, Aurra," Anakin nodded at them.

"Anakin, Ahsoka," Naruto returned. "I'm sorry for calling. I know you're busy. I need to ask you three a favor." She looked around her cautiously. "I have three blood siblings that are missing. Aurra, I need you - and when I get back to the Temple I'll pay you - to ask around, see if there's any mention of someone that looks a little like this." Her holoimage vanished to show a picture of a digitally-aged young woman. Aurra frowned a little.

"That's not taking into account her being dead or not dead," Naruto said, appearing again. "Or any injuries or anything. Her name is Tayuya. Anakin... I'd like you to get in touch with someone. His name is Itachi Uchiha. I think he's a bounty hunter for the Black Sun."

Aurra's eyes widened. "I can put him in touch with _him,"_ Aurra said to Naruto and Anakin. "But why?"

"I need the location of three people," Naruto replied. "Two of which I _know_ are connected to the Black Sun: Sasori and Deidara. Karin is the third one, but I'm not sure if she's connected to the Black Sun or not."

"So which ones are your siblings?" Anakin asked, feeling no jealousy.

"Tayuya, possibly Karin and Deidara," Naruto said, jumping at something on her end. "Anakin - one last thing. Can you ask Master Yoda if he's ever heard of a Sith named Kurama?"

Anakin nodded. "Sure can."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, I think that's it." She bit her lip.

"Tell me," Anakin ordered.

"Can you do me one more favor and check on my Padawan at Rishi Outpost?"

Anakin's jaw dropped.

"You _left_ him -"

"The masters ordered me here on my _own,"_ Naruto said, her face pinching a little. "Please." Her eyes begged him.

Anakin shrugged. "Sure."

~:~

Rex patted the little Padawan on the shoulder. The kid had been extremely brave, facing droids and using the Force like his master had told him, using the Force to destroy the outpost. Now, they were camping in the canyon, no longer having a ship to go.

Cody eyed the Padawan. He looked calm, perfectly at peace.

Cody's transmitter beeped.

"Yes?" he asked cautiously.

"You okay down there?" Anakin Skywalker asked, a shuttle flying down in the canyon.

"Yes, sir. Is that you in the shuttle, or should we be expecting someone less friendly?"

"If that's you in the canyon, then yes, that's us setting down now," Anakin said. "How's the kid?"

Cody glanced at the Padawan, who looked half-crushed and half-happy at the same time.

"Disappointed you aren't his master," Cody said honestly.

The shuttle opened, and Anakin stood there with Ahsoka. The group of clones slowly filled in, and Konohamaru shoved himself into the front of the shuttle.

It lifted off, and Anakin spoke.

"Good thing you guys blew up the station. Greivous, another Separatist general, just appeared." Anakin looked exhausted. "We're headed to Kamino to head them off. I've sent a friend with a message - Naruto should be there soon."

Konohamaru nodded.

~:~

Itachi looked through the records that Black Sun had (which were few). Why he was doing this? Oh, right, he'd been paid. He was putting a death sentence on his head, just _casually_ looking through the Black Sun's files.

K-45 spoke. "I have found it. Should I download it?"

"Yes," Itachi said quickly. "Hurry and then upload it to my personal holopad. Save a backup in case."

K-45 nodded. "Finished. Shall we go?"

Itachi nodded, slipping out of the room -

"Hey, you shouldn't be -"

"You did not see us," Itachi said, waving his hand and impressing his will upon the Falleen male. "You will go about your day without ever recalling that you saw us coming from here." It was too risky to kill him, in case he was a member of the Vigo, the council of higher-ups that Itachi eventually answered to. After he was satisfied (and the Falleen was basically a drooling mess), he left.

He walked through the hallway, cortosis blade out. Sure, he could avoid the blood if he wanted to, but he was far more practical than just to rely on his shoto-saber. Relying on his shoto-saber the way a Jedi would rely on their lightsaber was just idiotic.

He used the Force to push a human so hard that he remained there. If he was dead, he was dead.

His eyes widened as he saw the awaiting amount of sentients around his ship. There was little hope for him _and_ K-45 to get out alive -

Mentally, he slapped himself. He drew the Force around him and K-45, creating a Force-based illusion that made K-45 look like a mouse droid. Itachi moved forward confidently, using the Force to make them shift, and start talking among themselves while still keeping up the cloak. When he got on his ship, he canceled the Force cloak and initiated the closing of the ramp. He set his cortosis blade aside with a small sigh. K-45 moved into his room, ready to shut down when they took off and entered hyperspace.

He got into the cockpit, only to stop and withdraw his shoto-saber.

Xizor sat in the co-pilot's seat.

"Ah," Xizor said, standing. "Itachi. Going somewhere?"

"Have a job elsewhere," Itachi said quietly, eyes flicking around. He still didn't sense Xizor - and bit back a curse as the reason made itself known. A _ysalimir_ lizard sat there.

"Why does _everyone_ know about _ysalimir_ lizards?" Itachi blinked as he realized he'd spoken aloud. Xizor smirked at him. "Where is your bodyguard?"

"Looking for a Padawan."

Itachi cursed in his mind. With a twitch of his finger, one of the buttons on his wrist was pushed.

K-45 came out.

"You called, Master?" Itachi was glad he was being serious instead of sarcastic.

"Escort Xizor off my ship," Itachi said coldly.

"No need. I'll leave for free." Xizor took the _ysalimir._ "You are one of the best bounty hunters I have, Uchiha. However, find yourself in such a position again, I will not hesitate to order Guri to eliminate both Padawan and Jedi." Xizor passed with the _ysalimir_ lizard, and Itachi waited until he was sure Xizor was gone to hook his shoto saber back onto his belt.

He sat in his chair.

"Get the information to Sing," he ordered K-45. "I need to get out of here."

He took off, switching off his communications system and ignoring Coruscant Control.

He would destroy the Black Sun, even if it killed him.

And he'd start with Xizor's family.

~:~

Naruto glanced at her mother. Anakin had called her to tell her she needed to get to Kamino _immediately,_ and that there was very little time left before the Separatists attacked there with a general who she'd never heard of. Her mother was trying to act like this happened every day.

Naruto made up her mind, taking out her _beskar_ armor.

"Kaa-san, I'd like the family crest painted on my armor before I leave," she announced grandly.

Kushina turned to her, a sad smile on her face.

"Alright."

~:~

Naruto looked at Spark. "Ready, buddy?" she asked the droid with a smile.

"I am."

Naruto whirled to see a haggard-looking Karin standing there, her hands up in the universal sign for peace. Naruto took out her lightsaber, ready to stop her if it became necessary.

"Karin." Naruto was... Glad to see her. Kind of. "What do you want?"

"I want to get revenge on Sidious," Karin snapped. "He tried to kill me - and he taunted me with this." She took out a holocube slowly, then tossed it to the other, younger woman.

Naruto turned it on. A family picture was there.

"I know you're my little sister now," Karin said as Naruto continued gazing at the holo picture. "I'd like to get revenge on Sidious... And maybe get to know you."

Naruto turned the holocube off. "We're not - I don't think I can 'get to know you'," she said. "But come on. Unless you want to go see Kaa-san."

Karin shook her head miserably. "Not yet. I was the one to try to blow it up."

Naruto swallowed. "If you betray me, Karin... I'll kill you."

She meant it, too.

Karin nodded and tossed her weapon to Naruto.

"Keep it." She tucked her hand back into her pocket, and Naruto let her up the ramp.


	37. Chapter 37

The largest amount of Jedi Jango had ever seen in one sitting and he was in the middle of the planning session.

It was _hella_ awkward.

The door opened, and Naruto strode through in her armor.

"Heard there was an attack coming," she said, her blue eyes somehow shadowed even as they sparkled merrily. "Where's my -"

"Master!" Konohamaru flew at her, hugging her around the waist.

"Hi, Kono!" she grinned, getting on her knee. "How are you?" It was heartwarming; yet Jango was the one to break the two up.

"Sorry to break up the moment," he said, making her get up. "But we _are_ getting ready to go to war."

"They're not going to come in like we did," Naruto said, closing her eyes briefly. "Karin, you may enter."

Anakin looked alarmed as the doors entered.

Instantly, all the Jedi in the room - of which considered seven masters, Anakin, another Knight, and two Padawans - tensed and turned their lightsabers on.

"Naruto, what are you doing with a Sith?"

Jango lifted one of his eyebrows. "Seriously?" He eyed the pinkette.

"Karin has information," Naruto said, her eyes narrowing. "On the Separatist movement. She also has the ability Shatterpoint, like you, Master Windu, only it is usually central to breaking _people._ I won't let you hurt her."

No. Naruto's hand was hovering over her own saber, her other hand curled inward as though ready to push the mysterious Force at the masters.

"Also, she's my sister." Cue shocked silence. "This is Karin Uzumaki, and as long as I am with her she won't harm anyone." There was determination in Naruto's eyes. "Please. Trust _me_ if you can't trust her. I will stop her - I will kill her if I must." Naruto's eyes didn't flinch.

"Trust you, we will," Master Yoda said, turning his blade off. "Tell us everything, she will."

Karin swallowed. "They plan on using a new type of battle droid to attack this place." She opened her jacket and produced a holocube, blowing on it and then throwing it up. It turned on and showed a battle droid that didn't seem to have a head. Then it switched. "The ones you just saw are Heavy Battle Droids. These ones are Commando Droids. They're skilled in combat and designed to make lightsaber blades bounce off of them, and they're made of cortosis." Naruto's hand never left her saber as Karin spoke, and she had shifted in front of her Padawan protectively.

With a start, Jango realized Naruto didn't trust Karin at ALL.

"I believe - as I've only been privy to some of the Separatist plans - that they'll only send in the Heavy Battle droids, Droidekas, and regular fodder." She summoned the holocube. "The Heavy Battle droids are water-resistant, the regular ones aren't. Most likely they'll use these." She took a holopad from her jacket and tapped it, the image of a ship coming onto it. "It's called a squidship."

"Ugly," all the Knights and both Padawans in the room commented at once.

"Yes, but it's also water-resistant," Karin said, scowling a little.

"Did _you_ design these?" Naruto asked, leaning forward a bit.

"No," Karin said flatly. "Kabuto and Deidara did."

Karin paled.

Naruto pressed her lips together for a moment.

"Wait - your _brother_ Deidara?"

Naruto shot Anakin a poisonous glare. Karin turned to him.

"She told you?"

"Of _course_ she told me!" Naruto took a deep breath, trying to regain some of her cool. "She told me everything about how you all mysteriously vanished after I got taken by the Zygerrians. Don't act surprised!"

Karin laughed shortly. "I'm only surprised because you were barely there a _day_ before you somehow saved our people. And then you were out for three days." Karin turned around. "I don't know much more - can I go back to the ship?"

"No." Naruto smiled. It was _not_ the nicest of smiles. "If you're really wanting revenge on _him,_ you're going to tell the Jedi everything you know."

Karin went pale. "Naruto -"

Naruto tilted her head, that smile still on her face. "And then I'm going to find Tayuya."

Karin seemed to flounder for a moment before swallowing and nodding.

"Good." Naruto continued smiling.

~"~

Kamino's defenses were up. Shaak Tii wandered through the hallways of the small base before happening upon Jango Fett and his son.

Shaak Tii was just going to leave when the smaller boy ran out of the room, Jango still in there.

"May I come in?" she asked.

"Of course." The ex-bounty hunter shifted briefly and moved his helmet so the Jedi Master could sit - Shaak glanced through the window and saw it was another training area that the Knights and Padawans were in. "They said they'd watch over the samples." Shaak glanced at Fett before returning her attention to the window.

"An admirable task," Shaak said. "Do you believe that they should get someone else's DNA samples?"

Jango shrugged. "I've never really thought of it. They offered to watch over my son, but I thought I should look after him. That way, they don't have to risk me dying and the samples getting low."

Shaak nodded. "When the war is over, will you go back to bounty hunting?" She was truly curious.

"I don't think so," Fett replied with a sigh. "Not a huge bounty hunter anymore. Naruto has quite an avid collection of bounty hunters by herself."

Shaak frowned a little. "Is that so?"

"I've never known someone as... Crazy as she was." In the training arena, said Alterian was climbing the turrets, much like the Domino Squad had done - but the turrets were live. "But even then, she wasn't always like that." Shaak turned to him, wondering.

"You knew her as a slave?"

Fett nodded. "I did. Wanted to rescue her from the hell she was in." Shaak frowned again.

"Was it that bad? She seemed... Unphased when we met."

Fett chuckled, but it was hardly a happy sound.

"Anakin Skywalker and her met a few months after she and I did." Fett shook his head.

Shaak bit her lip. "How did you meet?"

Fett glanced at her.

"We met because I needed a few spare parts for the _Slave I."_

Shaak instantly got the reference. "You were a slave at one point."

Fett inclined his head.

"So I know how the kid felt. A six-year-old child in the middle of the hot desert, covered with dirt and had a ton of bandages on her body screamed 'slave'."

Shaak had a feeling that he was leaving parts out; but instead of pressing further when Jango went silent, she stood.

"You have provided me with very valuable insight," Shaak said. "If I want to know the rest of the story, I will ask... Naruto."

Shaak left.

~:~

"Heard from Fett lately?" In a cantina, Itachi Uchiha leaned forward imperceptibly as he listened in. Enhanced senses were just the tip of the iceberg. There was a group of bounty hunters all grouped around a table, and the female voice was kind of loud.

"Why, think he's lost his touch?" another sneered, this one a male human.

"Hardly, Dengar." The female Frenk in the group laughed.

"He's on a long-term mission," 'Dengar' said after a moment. "I wouldn't try anything on him, Twazzi. He's got a certain... Bodyguard." Dengar paused. "He's still quite lethal; but his bodyguard is Alterian, a Jedi, and _very_ hot. Dangerous, like I said."

"I highly doubt any Jedi _sleemo_ would be dangerous to beat." Moralo Eval was possibly the _dumbest_ hunter in the galaxy. Itachi just _knew_ he would get caught one day. "Especially not an Alterian one." Dengar shifted for a second.

"...you've never seen an Alterian Jedi in action," Dengar said after a moment. "Have you?"

"No," Itachi said, standing and catching their attention. "He hasn't. He simply wants information on the Alterian Jedi." Itachi sat down at their table. "I want in," he lied to Dengar.

Dengar snorted. "In on _what?"_

"Protection. Obviously, if she's got Fett wrapped around her pinkie finger, I know she can protect lowly bounty hunters like us." Dengar stared at him for a moment.

"I'm not under her protection."

Itachi sighed, as if disappointed. "Disappointing. Having a Jedi protector guarantees you're up on the food chain."

Moralo Eval looked greedy.

"Moralo Eval demands this protection!"

He _shouted_ it.

Itachi flicked his cortosis sword. A blaster shot later and Moralo Eval was gone, completely dead.

Itachi glared at his corpse as music stopped.

"You're not invited." He took out the datadisk he had made. "Get this to the Alterian Jedi. Pay you 50,000 credits." He glanced at the Frenk. "Both of you."

"You don't have that much." Dengar folded his arms.

"I work for the Black Sun," Itachi said, his voice dangerously soft. "Give it to her _immediately."_

"Half up front," the Frenk said.

Itachi nodded and gestured to K-45.

"It's in your accounts." Itachi slid account numbers to them, as well as giving Dengar the datadisk.

"Why not give it to her yourself?" Dengar took it.

"I cannot lead the Black Sun to her," Itachi replied quietly.

"And Eval?" Dengar cast a look at the galaxy's number one idiot.

"He was going to die eventually," Itachi said. "That, and I didn't trust him. He just _shouted_ out to the _entire cantina_ about the so-called 'protection'."

"True," Dengar conceded. "Let's go, Twazzi."

'Twazzi' nodded and stood up.

Itachi watched them go.

 _Now_ he had another job to do: Make sure Xizor didn't find out about what he'd done.


	38. Chapter 38

Naruto felt the laboratory shudder as the first parts of the droid army exploded on the surface of Kamino.

Karin looked strangely guilty.

Naruto knew something was wrong.

"Karin - tell me."

Karin burst into tears. "Sidious has more than one Sith hidden in here. I can feel him - I think he's going for the real Fett!"

Naruto swore in Mando'a and Alterian, darting out.

~:~

One fought by Fett's side as they tried to fight off the Sith approaching. The masters were all busy fighting droids and the general that was leading this operation.

The Sith was a Zabrak male with yellow eyes, which kind of matched his head, which was also yellow.

"Savage! Kill the army's progenitor!"

One swore in Mando'a. "They're after _you."_

"Let them come," Jango said flatly. "I've killed Jedi before."

Naruto burst into the room, panting a bit. Spotting the Sith, she walked out, activating her lightsaber.

The Sith paused, activating the other side of his dual-bladed lightsaber. The two began circling.

"The Rule of Two has _clearly_ been tossed out the figurative window," Naruto said, a dark glint in her eyes.

"I have no idea of what you speak." The Zabrak stopped where he had been standing before.

"I must say something before we start fighting," Naruto said, her voice poisonously sweet; so sweet it made Jango's hair raise on the back of his neck. "You fucked with the wrong bounty hunter, Zabrak. Jango Fett is _mine."_

One smirked, grateful Jango couldn't see it.

"And I'm going to hurt you so badly you will be able to only _just_ stand trial."

The Zabrak began laughing.

"I am not Maul."

"No." Naruto shook her head. "You're not, _dar'jetii sleemo."_

One stared at Naruto as she clashed with the Sith, a feral growl coming from her throat. One who said 'Sith slime' in Mando'a knew much of their language.

"I don't need a Jedi to save me," Jango said, sounding put out.

"I think she's trying to send a message," One revealed, before shooting to the side and a droid dropped. "Should we relocate?"

"Yes," Jango replied; together the duo chose to retreat a little.

~:~

Naruto twirled her blade easily; the Zabrak parried it.

From the surprised look, he hadn't expected this much of a fight. He must have been a new Sith, then; testing his abilities on her.

Honestly, _Itachi_ had been more badass than this guy... And that was sooo not an insult to Itachi; Naruto had heard from Kushina that tachi was a prodigy even there, in Alteria.

(And it was just thrilling to hear that the guy Naruto totally did _not_ have a crush on was Alterian, and that he was a prodigy. But... He was _still_ a jerk.)

Naruto swung her blade, feeling the flow of the Force. She parried his low sweep, steeping back to give two strikes to his head - then she flicked the switch. The dual-bladed saber separated into two, and she stared at a surprised Sith.

"Most Jedi don't have dual-bladed lightsabers - and those that do don't usually make them separate," the Sith admitted.

"I took this from Maul and made it my own," Naruto revealed. "You have a problem with that?"

The Zabrak shook his head. "This will be finished easily."

"I don't think so," Naruto replied with a foxy grin, twirling. Both her sabers missed their target as the Sith back up, but Naruto grinned.

She pressed her advantage, using Master Windu's style. Using her memory, she struck at the Sith, hammering blow after blow and keeping the Sith on his toes.

~:~

"Windu, isn't that your style?" Master Plo Koon stared at the Jedi striking at the Sith on another nearby walkway.

"I never taught it to her," Mace replied as he Force-shoved a line of droids. "But then Alterians have incredible memory."

"That is very true." Plo threw his lightsaber, rendering his half useless. "I have known very few personally, but one thing is true. Force-sensitive or not, they have the uncanny ability to remember most of the things they have seen in their lifetime."

~:~

Naruto stopped pushing the Sith back when he was as far away as a landing platform.

Naruto spotted a gunship coming closer.

"General, get out of the way!"

"No can do," Naruto said, closing her eyes. "Shoot."

A hesitation.

Naruto opened her eyes.

"I GAVE YOU AN ORDER, ROOKIE! SHOOT!" She shoved her hands forward, keeping the Sith in place.

The rookie shot.

~:~

Naruto floated in a bacta tank, internal injuries being healed. When the Sith realized he couldn't force his way out of that spot, he'd used his Force powers to drag the airborne craft to fall on top of them while the gunship shot at him.

Naruto had been forced to release the Sith to lessen the impact. She'd been able to do so when the Sith had used the Force to push it on top of her. A wing had crushed her, and when they'd gotten to her during cleanup it was to the pilot trying to get her out from under it.

The med-droid had listed her internal injuries, which included two cracked ribs, one rib completely pulverized, one broken wrist, and a punctured lung. She'd gotten a replacement lung, grown by Lama Su to Naruto's specifications (but obviously younger than Naruto), and a newly grown rib. Her other injuries were easily fixed, but she'd needed the bacta after the surgery.

Anakin was in deep thought. He'd seen the faint burn scar caused by his lightsaber and the marks on her back, and he couldn't help but wonder what the marks on her back were from.

Anora came up behind him.

"The med-droid said she'd be mission-ready in a week," she told him. "We're all leaving before them. A shuttle's going to take us to Coruscant."

"To get more missions?" he asked, resigned.

"We can't always be on the battlefield," Anora said wisely. "The other Knights are leaving. The Masters expect us to rest a little bit, then get back out there."

"I will be staying here." Master Shaak Tii's voice brought the two out of their discussion. "To keep an eye on the Sith girl and the Padawan. Now that it is clear that the Sith are out for the bounty hunter's blood, it would make sense to stay."

Anakin nodded. "Thank you, Master." He stood from his chair, ready to leave -

Anakin froze as the Togurtan master's next comment struck a chord in him.

"Make sure you take care of my daughter, Skywalker."

He turned to reassure her, but she was gone. He smiled to himself.

"Her daughter?" Anora looked shocked.

Anakin laughed a little. "I don't think Master Tii wants us to tell everyone, but yes. Even Master Tii must have, at some point, broken the Code." He looked out at the training soldiers.

 _Though our paths may separate from now on, Naruto..._ He sighed and put a hand on the bacta tank. _I hope we don't become too different._

Naruto reacted, a flicker of consciousness meeting his mind before settling.


	39. Chapter 39

"A Force Bond." Madam Jocasta pointed to a certain shelf. Luminara looked rather surprised that she knew. "Look over there for more information."

"Or you could just ask." Luminara turned to see Tir Forinth, a Corellian-born Force Sensitive and recently appointed Jedi Master. She was white-haired and blind; she'd been born both. She was exceptional in Soresu; it probably came with the territory of being blind. "Force bonds are, obviously, created through the Force, connecting to other Force-sensitive beings. It can be used against either member of the Force Bond, though usually the Force rebels against others using it like this."

"How do you know such things?" Luminara asked.

Tir shrugged. "I listen to the Force. I have listened to the whispers of Revan and Bastila Shan. Their stories are still slipping through the Force."

Tir, in Luminara's opinion, was quite odd, even for a Jedi.

"I see," Luminara said after a moment.

She left the library. She was not used to being around Tir.

~:~

Tir Forinth smiled to herself, listening to the flow of the Force.

 _What a naughty child you've been, Anakin Skywalker. But I won't tell anyone. It's not my secret to tell._

She stood and ghosted through the Temple. She was often overlooked.

She preferred it.

~:~

"Thank you, Lama Su, for helping me recover," Naruto bowed. "I do not know how to thank you."

"Do not think on it," Lama Su said in his regular monotone. "I am simply repaying what I owe."

Naruto frowned as Lama Su walked away, smiling genially.

"...that's weird. He doesn't owe me anything, as far as I'm aware."

"Naruto!" Karin came running around the corner. "This Aurra Sing says she thinks she found Tayuya!"

Naruto turned and looked at the location.

"Oh, great." Naruto took the holopad. "Thanks, Aurra."

The location vanished.

"Narrowed down to a spice mine." Naruto was quite dismayed. "This is bad. Oh, well."

Karin swallowed. "People enter there and rarely - if ever - get out. And I've heard that it's not easy to get out."

Naruto bit her lip.

"I have to try. Tell the Jedi Council I'll be back as soon as I can be."

Karin's jaw dropped. "You can't! Our mother will kill us both!"

Naruto shrugged. "If it's the last chance I have... Tayuya could be alive, could be dead. I don't know. Nor, at the moment, do I care." She paused. "I think I know of a way to get into the spice mines. Of course, it won't be the _easiest_ thing..."

~:~

Miraj Scintel looked at Jango Fett, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Perhaps doing business with you was a pleasure, Jango Fett. As promised, the amount of credits you receive will be on your ship." The girl at his feet looked unhappy. "How did you even find her, what with you being on Kamino?"

"I lied to her," Jango said flatly. Miraj couldn't tell if he was lying. "I faked being a friend when all I wanted was the bounty. Now it's paid off."

Miraj smiled dangerously at the Alterian. Getting her Empire back was not easy; and the Alterian was just a problem now, what with the mother of the slave girl peering into her affairs.

"Put a collar on her," Miraj said, gesturing to the Alterian. "And put her in a cage. I shall decide what to do with her later."

The bounty hunter kicked the Alterian, and she grunted in a little pain. If _that_ hurt her, then Miraj was doubly sure that the shock collar would. Miraj stood up and walked down from her throne.

She gave the collar's remote to the Zygerrian slaver, and pushed the girl's chin up.

"What should I do to you, hmm? You're a bit too much trouble than your worth." Miraj smiled cruelly.

The girl gulped.

~:~

Tayuya eyed the recent addition. She'd been there for years - used to hard work and little sleep. The lack of sleep broke most people.

There was something familiar about the newbie with fox ears and a fox tail.

As all the newbies walked through, Tayuya hid behind a pillar. She knew what the demonstration would be.

A humanoid, of Chiss origin (Tayuya had learned from a LOT of other aliens their races) that Tayuya didn't care to know the name of (they didn't last long in here, after all), stood at attention in front of the group of newbies.

"You make a mess, and whoever you get friendly with will have to deal with it," the Chiss male said straightforwardly. "But in case you get any ideas..."

He pressed a button.

All but the fox one collapsed on the ground. Her ears just went low on her head as she bowed her head in submission.

The Chiss male walked off. "Get to work!"

Tayuya came out of hiding.

"Hey, fox girl!" her voice was loud, but not that loud. "You'll be partnering with me." The girl nodded, eyeing her with curiosity. "I'm Tayuya."

"Naruto," Naruto told her nicely.

Tayuya got to work. "We can sneak a break later. The dude's comin' back."

Sure enough, the Chiss guy was walking around. He had to be one of the most dedicated assholes ever.

Shaking her head, Tayuya began working with the most familiar person she'd ever seen in this shithole.


	40. Chapter 40

Naruto kept her excitement under wraps. She couldn't believe her luck.

Or her nonexistent luck.

Next to her, one of the Ithorian captives dropped his workload, and Naruto sidled up to him, making Tayuya frown as the Chiss male spotted the Ithorian picking up his dropped load.

Naruto braced herself. She felt her teeth rattling as the energy sparked over her neck.

 _It's going to be okay,_ she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and slipped over back to Tayuya, silently chanting the Jedi Code.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force. There is no emotion, there is peace..._

Over and over, even as she chatted with Tayuya.

There was no reason to be afraid. The Force was with her.

~:~

Master Forinth stopped talking to the rest of the Council, seeming to drift off into listening to whatever the Force seemed to tell her.

(Mace Windu would never admit to thinking she was utterly bonkers when they had met, him as a Knight and her as a Padawan. Gifts that hadn't been seen for hundreds of years were suddenly popping up; her ability to 'hear' the Force was one of the strangest by far...)

The blind master suddenly smiled. "Masters, it seems the Force is coming back into balance."

 _Or she was crazy._

"That is entirely possible, Master Windu." Her smile was razor sharp.

 _I didn't say that out loud, did I?_

' _Perhaps you shouldn't think something while immersed in the Force, Master Windu. I may be crazy, I may not be. Who knows?'_

Nobody else in the room seemed to hear the telepathic conversation.

Windu was very glad.

~:~

Naruto found this kind of labor extremely hard. But she ignored the steady burning in her arms and kept working, grinning as she absorbed Tayuya's dry wit.

Then, when a beeping sound was heard, Tayuya called to the newbies, "Break time, newbies! Time to go to the hovels we're all going to call home for the rest of your lifespan three hours a day! Girls and female sentients are with me!"

The guards pointed towards a small mountain of junk.

Naruto, a female Frenk, and Tayuya all went on one side.

"Apparently most sentients don't care about the mixing of species," Tayuya muttered. "Then again, most of them will die soon."

Entering the hovel made of trash, they noticed three Wookies in there. All of them were collared.

Tayuya smiled at them, then turned to the Frenk and Naruto. "I don't speak Wookie!" she said urgently. "They've been living here in hiding; Wookies don't live that long here. Three months is their limit. I wiped the memory of them off the datalist, but in two days there's going to be an inspection. They'll be found."

Naruto rubbed her chin. "Well, then. We'll do the impossible."

She smiled at them all.

"We're breaking out!"

~:~

Tayuya stared at her for a few minutes.

Then she burst out laughing, the sound almost foreign to her.

She clapped Naruto's shoulder.

"Good one, Naruto."

She patted Naruto's cheek -

 _\- "Nee-san!" Their little sister waddled to Tayuya. "Nee-san, teach me Basic? Onegai?"_

 _Her wide blue eyes turned puppyish, and Tayuya melted. "Okay. But after I open my gifts from Kaa-san!"_

" _Hey, she asked me, too!" Tayuya turned to Karin, her twin. "I can help you right now!"_

 _Naruto beamed, showing off her incisors._

" _Oi, dummies!" Their older brother slammed the door open. "Kaa-san wants you out there now, or we're all grounded!"_

 _Tayuya grabbed her little sister and picked her up._

" _Let's go, Naruto! Let's go on an adventure!"_

 _Naruto giggled -_

Tayuya jerked her hand back from Naruto's face.

"Little... Sister?"

Naruto smiled at her, kind of sheepishly.

"I guess now is a good time to tell you I kind of came here on purpose? To find you?"

Tayuya hugged her, silently shaking with the forces of emotion pulsing through her. Then she steeled herself and looked to her younger sister, wiping any tears that might have fallen.

"Please tell me you speak Wookie," she said, looking between them. "We're going to need it if you want to get out."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I do speak Wookie."


	41. Chapter 41

Naruto's arms burned.

"Do your arms always burn?" Naruto whispered to Tayuya, who snorted a little.

"Not much for strenuous activity, neechan?" she jabbed.

Naruto flashed her an awkward grin. "Not with the arms."

Tayuya raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

Naruto flushed. "There is _nothing_ to tell."

Tayuya snorted, but bent down to work at the spice as the Chiss male approached them, scowling heavily.

He passed them, barking orders at everyone _but_ them and the Frenk - who was known as Rumi Ciscord - working beside them.

"Perhaps he knows?" Rumi asked quietly.

"I doubt it." Naruto shook her head. Her arms were all she could think about right then. "Even if he does, killing us would gain him nothing."

"True," Tayuya grunted. "Unless he's a father. Him shooting us would indicate he was protecting someone."

Two blaster shots echoed in the cavernous room.

"Or just some random bastards," Tayuya muttered. "Everyone plans an escape. Most people break before they enact it."

"I've seen people break faster than this," Naruto said loftily. "There was a prison on Hosnian Prime. _That_ planet knows that mental torture _and_ physical torture combined gets people to break faster than working like this." She nodded at their surroundings. "This is the _worst_ sort of prison ever. It builds muscles." Her eyes flicked to several of the built humanoids. "Plus, well... I'm sure most Force-sensitives are the hardest to break. I'm going to go make some friends."

Tayuya shook her head, but Naruto was already moving away.

~:~

Rumi slipped away easily. Tayuya was pretty much ignoring her.

The Chiss guard eyed her.

"I have an offer for you," Rumi said with an odd smile. "It has to do with your child."

The Chiss man swallowed.

~:~

Rumi slid into the hovel. The room was cordoned off - the Alterian sisters in one area, the three Wookies in another, and Rumi in the kitchen. As a result, there was no privacy for anyone except in the 'fresher.

"I have leverage," Rumi said in her thready voice. "The guard has a son. We will get him and the guard off of Kessel in return for freedom."

"I got muscle in case we need to run through the inspectors. Plus this." A whip was revealed.

"Cortosis breaks easily," Tayuya frowned. "Well, I mean, it does if you put enough pressure on it."

Naruto smiled, then flicked a switch.

A beam of light came from nowhere, coiling around the cortosis strand.

"Took a bit to work it, but now it's a cortosis-based _lightwhip."_

"Are you Sith?" Tayuya gaped.

Naruto looked at her with a flat look. "Jedi, thank you very much." She stowed it away under her shirt after turning the lightwhip off. Tayuya didn't comment on it; Rumi did.

"Why stow it in your chest?"

Naruto smiled at the Frenk. "Because nobody suspects anyone would be carrying something in my chest."

Tayuya examined her. "What, did you stow it in your pants when you first came here?"

Naruto shook her head. "I told them it was sewn into my skin. It halfway was." She pulled her shirt up.

Tayuya's eyes widened at the stitch marks.

"Mother of Moons, Naruto! You _ripped your whip out of your skin?"_ Tayuya barely managed to keep her voice low.

"I've felt worse," Naruto shrugged. "It was on the way here. It's healed pretty well." She poked her wounds.

"What happened here?" Tayuya jabbed the fading burn scar.

"I got by being between my brother's mother's torturers and my enraged brother figure," Naruto said nonchalantly.

Both Rumi and Tayuya stared at her.

"We're leaving tomorrow, though. Rumi?"

"We must take the ship with the Chiss boy on it," the Frenk said. "It will be a _Lambda_ shuttle. Your muscle will be stationed around here, we will be placed here. The syndicate, called the Pyke, works the people in this mine for the drugs."

"I got that," Tayuya nodded. "Get the Wookies in on this plan."

"Okay!" Naruto chirped, quickly shoving past them. Then she paused and smirked. "Oh, and I _did_ end up having to put my lightsabers in my pants. But they're in thigh holsters."

Tayuya shook her head exasperatedly.

~:~

Blasterfire exploded.

Dengar never expected to be chased down by a weird-as-hell chick that he didn't even flirt with, his partner Rumi Paramita wounded, and now fighting said weird chick while holding secret information and being helped by a Padawan.

"Padawan, I will leave your comrades alive if you surrender yourself to me," the weird-as-hell chick said.

The Padawan looked uncertain.

"You swear?" he asked, holding onto his lightsaber.

"Kid, don't bargain with that chick!" Dengar warned.

"I don't have a choice," the Padawan snapped. "She's willing to leave you alive if I surrender."

"I swear," the chick said flatly. To prove it, she stopped firing and tossed her blaster.

Dengar took his shots - only to stare as they _bounced off of her._

"I surrender." The chick grinned and the Padawan followed her.

~:~

Naruto and Tayuya shoved the Wookies on the ship. The muscle Naruto had hired from the mines fought the guards, Naruto's whip making several of the inspectors turn tail and run. The Chiss guard was in the cockpit, a kid watching them solemnly.

"Fly," Naruto said, dropping into the seat. "The muscle are now the keepers of the mine."

Rumi looked at her, appalled.

"You will just leave them?"

"I promised them blood, not freedom," Naruto responded flatly. "They were happy with that. I needed to get away now. Something -" Naruto massaged her temples. "The Force is begging me to -" She winced. Then she walked to the console of the shuttle, then input a set of coordinates.

The ship vanished into hyperspace.

~:~

Itachi, halfway across the galaxy, got urged to do the exact same thing. Exiting hyperspace near his destination, he turned the ship around, speeding back into hyperspace before Coruscant scanners could fully pick him up.

He had something more important than spice running to do.

~:~

Naruto swallowed. Falleen was a great planet.

Reaching out, she felt the inconsistency that had been plaguing her. Her Padawan - Konohamaru, who she was supposed to protect - was on this planet.

She jabbed the communicator.

"This is Jedi Knight Uzumaki Naruto. I expect an answer for why my Padawan is on your planet. I will be down there shortly."

Her voice was... Enraged. Her anger was high. She was beyond pissed. Her fur reacted, turning a deeper red in an almost invisible wave, matching her eyes.

Her sister and allies edged away from her.

~:~

The Queen of Falleen, the mother of Xizor, glanced at the Jedi her son was smiling at. The small boy was entranced by the pheromones hanging about the castle.

"Xizor." The prince stood up.

Queen Fiora smoothed down her ceremonial dress.

"The time has come for the start of the annual Hand of the Prince, do you not think? Perhaps a new female could be introduced in the line." Xizor smirked.

"I do love your thinking, Mother."

Fiora smirked again.


	42. Chapter 42

Guri stood waiting for the female her Prince found attractive. The Jedi stormed off her ship.

"Where is my Padawan?"

Guri was impervious to the anger. "Prince Xizor has invited you to the Great Hall."

She turned to take the Alterian to the Great Hall. Walking quickly and entering, Guri made her way to her prince's side and stood in a ready position, watching the assorted females, from on and off Falleen - mostly from the Falleen Sector - glare at each other.

Compared to the regular standard of beauty, Naruto didn't have it, having those two sets of three whisker marks on her face. She had a different sort of beauty that Guri didn't understand.

Another woman entered. Guri tilted her head, but dismissed her. There were plenty of females here she could not say were fully female.

"I am Queen Fiora," the Queen of Falleen said. "As of now, an assorted number of you have competed to complete a task for the prince's hand. Those of you who did it are here, as well as a few special guests. There will be a battle royale. At the end, the one who wins may ask one favor of Prince Xizor. That favor must be in return of marrying Xizor." Fiora looked upon the group. "There will be no killing. Weapons, not including lightsabers and other weapons with kyber crystals in them, are allowed. This battle royale will finish if you best the prince himself in hand-to-hand combat."

Queen Fiora waved her hand. "You will now be escorted to the Arena."

~:~

Naruto tossed her lightwhip in after they activated it.

"Naruto." A velvet voice she was familiar with made her knees tremble, and she turned.

And gawked.

"Wha -? Oh Force, you look..." If Naruto didn't know who this was, she would have turned lesbian in an instant. Itachi looked _hot_ as a girl. "Er... What are you doing here?"

"Apparently saving you." _Again,_ his tone implied.

"My Padawan is here," Naruto said, clenching her fist. "Since it's a free-for-all -"

Itachi grasped her arm.

"Naruto. You have to know. I recently came from K -"

"TIME!"

"Ask someone what the challenge was!" Itachi managed to his before he was dragged away.

Naruto frowned as she was shoved to a gate.

The challenge Xizor had sent them on... What? What could it have been?

Naruto summoned her sabers and lightwhip with a brief Force Pull.

~:~

"What's going on?" Rumi questioned, looking anxious. "We should probably go."

"We do not leave without the Jedi." The Chiss man looked firm on this point.

"This is bad," Tayuya said, looking troubled. "This whole things stinks - why lure her to Falleen in the first place?"

Rumi shrugged. "The mysterious Force wanted her to come here?"

Tayuya bit her lip.

~:~

Naruto kept to hiding behind boulders. Technically, she hadn't broken the rules. The Queen had never specified she couldn't use the Force.

She lit it - and froze as one of her ears moved.

"- some Kaminoan bounty hunter. Apparently he was supplying the Republic with an army."

"Did you eliminate him?"

"Of course. Slow-acting poison. He was in agony for three standard rotations - of course, the antidote needs to steep for six standard days."

Naruto trembled. The wrongness - oh, Force. Her eyes were wide, unseeing as she listened. And they were speaking the truth. Her senses told her that.

"What was his name?" asked another Falleen eagerly.

"Jango Fett or something like that."

' _NO!'_

~:~

On Coruscant, the Council was speaking with Anakin and the Chancellor when he gasped, his knees buckling.

"Naruto!"

The Chancellor looked alarmed.

"Anakin, what's -"

Tir cried out, hunching over.

Systematically, the members of the Council felt it. A dark shadow appearing, angry and in pain.

And it affected most of the Council.

"Apologies, we give. A disturbance in the Force, there is," Yoda spoke to the Chancellor. "Perhaps finish this next time, we will."

The chancellor bowed. "Thank you, Master Jedi."

He left.

~:~

A scream rose the hair on the watching audience's bodies.

"Master!" The Padawan had shaken off the pheromones, his eyes wide and shocked as he stared into the arena.

Out from a boulder, a blue lightsaber glowed. Then, with alarming speed, the blue lightsaber started cutting down the members in the arena. A dark energy seemed to emanate from the one doing the killing; then the figure, after it was done slaughtering the contestants, used the Force to jump - directly into a fleeing Xizor and Fiora's paths.

The Jedi didn't have calm blue eyes. No. They were a vivid red.

"YOU HAD HIM KILLED." The Jedi's voice was angry and rough. "You will die!"

Xizor's bodyguards went to attack.

The Jedi waved her hand in several clenching movements. The sickening crack of their necks being broken served to make the Jedi grin, but that grin vanished as Xizor backed from her, Fiora already having escaped.

"Master, please stop!" The Padawan pleaded.

He was zoomed out of the Jedi's warpath.

Left and right. The Jedi hunted Xizor, killing those who got in her way.

Just as she reached him, a crazy smile on her face - she wanted _revenge_ \- a short saber stopped her from causing a galactic incident.

Xizor was blown backwards by the wielder of the short saber.

~:~

Naruto felt burning anger. She... Couldn't remember what she'd done.

She found herself being stopped by Itachi, and she heard Konohamaru.

"Master, _please!_ You're scaring me!"

 _I only want you safe, Konohamaru._ She started to recall... The conversation.

"Let me at him!" She pressed her advantage.

"Naruto, this is not the path you've chosen!" Itachi's eyes were staring into hers. Naruto tilted her head in confusion. "You kill him, you go to the Dark Side."

Naruto looked at Konohamaru.

Naruto screamed at the bodies, dropping her saber. "No - Force, no!" She clutched at her ears, trying in vain to rip them out of her head. She didn't want this - Force no, she was a _murderer_! "Oh, Force... What have I done?!" she cried.

Itachi sat next to her.

"It'll be alright, Naruto." Itachi's words comforted her.

"Yeah, Master." Konohamaru stepped gingerly over the bodies. "It's going to be all right."

Naruto sobbed as Konohamaru held her, too.

~:~

Having two more droids, two more Force users, and the other Force user keeping to her bunk was... Awkward.

They stopped off at Kashyyk first; a feast was thrown in their honor, but Naruto left as soon as it wasn't rude.

Then they went to Csilla to drop off the Chiss; an invitation to stay there overnight was given and accepted. Naruto stayed on the ship.

Itachi and Konohamaru also decided to, leaving Rumi and Tayuya to accept the invitation in their place. K-45 and Spark were... Around. Itachi didn't pay much attention.

"Naruto, I have some food for you."

Something snapped loudly. "Go away."

Itachi forced the door open.

"You look like crap." Dark circles were under her eyes. She had snapped a twig she'd gotten off of her tree, which was blossoming. They had all been given trees from Kashyyk.

Naruto grunted. "I don't care." She had at least taken care of her hygiene. She hadn't eaten, by the way her tail twitched. "I murdered a lot of people out of revenge."

"That doesn't make you evil. Or Sith." Itachi walked in. "I was expelled from the Jedi Order because I used techniques that stemmed from the Dark Side, Naruto. I have always chosen my own path, no matter what the Jedi have asked of me. Yes, you have killed a lot of Falleen. They killed your friend." Itachi swallowed and put a hand on her hand. Her ears twitched, and her tail moved a little. "Stop starving yourself, and put a smile on your face. If not for your sake, for the people you have saved."

Naruto looked down.

"For what it's worth, Master," Konohamaru said, his face dark as Itachi and Naruto glanced at him. "I was scared, yeah - but for _you._ I know that Fett-san meant a lot to you. But to lose yourself in the Dark Side, I was frightened of what would happen to you after it." He looked down at his feet.

Naruto looked at him. "You're not... Scared of me?"

Konohamaru shook his head. "Nope, you stupid old hag."

Naruto glared at him. "I'M SEVENTEEN!"


	43. Chapter 43

Tayuya entered the ship, smiling.

"Hey, guys!" She entered the small kitchen. The Force-sensitives all looked up. "There's this pool out there that really softens the skin - the Chiss Ascendancy is really cool!"

Naruto smiled, Tayuya knew there was something wrong, but she brushed it aside for the moment. Obviously, Naruto didn't want to talk about it.

"Do they mind if fur gets in it?"

Tayuya grinned. "I asked, and they have a separate pool that has the same minerals in it. They're heated, too! Rumi had to go in that one. They're _natural!"_

Naruto chuckled. "Looks like I'm heading out, boys. Don't have too much fun without me, okay?"

She walked out with that fake smile plastered on her face.

~:~

Naruto wrung out her hair from the soap. She brushed her tail out, then carefully brushed her ears. She stared at her reflection in the water; she wondered how she could still look the same after murdering a ton of Falleen.

She took a deep breath, centering herself in the Force. She felt a presence near her and slipped further into the water.

Whoever it was faded away.

She sighed, bringing her knees up and wrapping her tail and arms around them.

Naruto stood up after she had had enough of the spring, then grabbed the several towels placed there. She toweled off her tail, glaring at it as it poofed out, toweled her hair with another and tied another towel around her body to go back to the ship. She headed into her bunk, staring at the plant.

"I'm sorry," she said to it, touching the leaves tenderly. "I think... I think I'll name you Mr. Ukki."

Another sigh was heard as she set it in a secure holding, falling into a sleep filled with nightmares.

~:~

Gorobei was their final destination before Kamino, where Itachi would have a ship pick him up to get him back to Falleen and his ship.

Dropping Rumi off (and being involved in a small celebratory dinner), they were back on Kamino.

Naruto felt Karin out there, right outside.

Naruto turned to Tayuya, blocking her way off the ship.

"Tayuya... Karin's waiting for you out there. Are you sure?"

Tayuya nodded, swallowing.

"I need this." Tayuya hugged Naruto. "I want this."

Naruto smiled and moved out of the way.

"Itachi," she said, catching Itachi's attention. "You can take the ship we brought from Kessel, if you want."

Itachi smiled a little. "I sold it already."

Naruto snorted. "Bounty hunters," she said, without malice. She held her plant tighter. The plant had grown... Oddly in the few nights aboard the ship. Itachi thought it was quite an ugly little thing.

"Look," he said, stopping her in her tracks, "When you go in there to face him, think on what his dad would want." Naruto nodded. "I'll be hanging around until my ride gets here. Fett and I were partners a few times." Itachi sighed.

Naruto offered him a weak smile. "Got it. I'm going to go and see him."

She exited the ship for the final time, steeling herself for the conversation she was going to have with an almost nine-year-old kid.

~:~

Boba Fett shot the target. His father died, Zam hadn't been there - nobody had.

The door opened, and he thought it would be One. One had taken it upon himself to try to steer Boba in the right direction.

He changed the chargers to the blaster, shooting randomly.

"I know a song that accurately describes what I want to say to him," a voice he'd only recently learned to know as 'friendly' said.

Boba sneered to himself.

"I also just learned of his death."

"No song would bring him back," Boba scoffed.

"No," Naruto Uzumaki said, coming up to meet him. "Nothing can bring him back, it's true. And to be honest, I doubt he wants to. He was tired." Boba knew that well. "He was older than most bounty hunters get." A hand settled on his head. His eyes flicked up to meet her eyes. "I want to know something. When's your birthday?"

"...I was cloned," Boba said flatly.

"Just tell me, idiot." Her tone was fond.

"April." He shrugged. "Dad used to take me out randomly during April."

Naruto's eyes widened briefly. A small smirk came onto her face. "Oh, Jango, you sly bounty hunter." Boba looked at her. "I met him in December. You're almost nine, right?"

Boba smiled. "He had me cloned right after he met you." His voice was awed.

She sighed. "Yeah... I guess so."

Boba looked at her curiously. "Dad never mentioned you by name, but I think he did speak about you a lot."

Naruto smiled faintly. "I'm glad. He's like family." Boba blinked at her.

The door opened again.

"I'm sorry, General," One said respectfully. "But the Kaminoans want you to pay your respects withing the day."

Naruto nodded.

"Thank you, One."

He bowed his head before leaving.

"Can I come with you?" Boba blurted. "They wouldn't let me see him before they used his remaining DNA."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah." She held out her hand.

Boba took it.

~:~

Naruto stood in front of Lama Su, listening as she was decontaminated with Boba. Well, half-listening. They had to stand at least five inches away from the body, and it would only be exposed to the elements for a short period of time.

Entering the chamber, holding the kid's hand, Naruto and Boba stared at the sheet-covered body.

Naruto took a deep breath, steadying herself.

" _Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la. Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum,_ Jango Fett." ' _Not gone, merely marching far away. I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal, Jango Fett.'_ Boba jerked his head to stare at her. She closed her eyes. "Be one with the Force, my old friend," she whispered.

She looked at Boba. "Got anything to say?"

Boba shook his head mutely.

~:~

Itachi stood in the doorway of her room on Kamino.

"Didn't Jango technically adopt you?"

Naruto shrugged as she tied her robe shut.

"It was in the middle of a drunken fight with two other random Protectors, Itachi. And he shouldn't have done that, anyway."

"You should adopt Boba." Itachi had no clue where that random-as-hell suggestion came from.

Her blue eyes widened.

"You... Think that I, a _JEDI,_ should adopt a _kid?!_ How would I hide _that_ from the Jedi Council?! I'm already hiding secret wives from the Council, I don't think I could hide a _kid,"_ Naruto said flatly.

"You could hide him in the city," Itachi suggested. "I mean, you don't get paid as a Jedi with money, so you could... I don't know. Use my apartment. I never do."

No, he didn't. He liked the solitude of his ship, and yet he paid for a Coruscant apartment.

"Why are you offering this?" Naruto's suspicions were silly to Itachi, yet understandable.

"I bet whoever you're keeping secrets for usually stays out in the city at night." He caught her barely noticeable flinch. "I think you should honor Jango's memory."

Naruto pressed her lips together and turned away.

 _And..._ Something prompted him to be bold. "Naruto... I think I'm falling in love with you."

She was strong, smart, and she didn't care what the Jedi thought, yet did. She followed as much of the Code as she could while also secretly rebelling against it. Her blue eyes widened again, shock visible.

"You and I barely know each other," she said to him, astonishment in her voice.

Itachi smiled at her, then walked off, sending his apartment's address to her.

Something told him that she and him would be seeing much more of each other.

~:~

Naruto looked at One and Knuckle. "You guys sure I should do this?"

"He's been angry and sullen. I think the Kaminoans would be grateful to get rid of him." One shrugged at Knuckle's glare. "It's true."

"You don't need to say it so harshly," Naruto pointed out, drinking some of the water. "I'm going to go talk to him."

One jolted, reaching into a pocket. "Oh - I have a holocube for you. From Dengar." He withdrew the two cubes he had. "One's from Jango." He set them in her hand. "I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Yep," Naruto replied with a forced smile.

~:~

Boba shut the small luggage he had with a snap.

The door opened, and he saw One and Knuckle enter, looking quite stern.

"I'm leaving," he said coldly and angrily.

"Yes, you are." Naruto entered, a smile on her face. "With me." She smiled at him. " _Ni kar'tayl gai sa'ad,_ Boba Fett." Boba gaped at her, once again floored by her actions. She had made the adoption vow in _Mando'a,_ adopting him on the spot. "Now let me help you."

"But... You're not Mandalorian," Boba said, at a loss.

"Surveillance footage of the Krappy Barre on Coruscant says otherwise," Naruto said with another smile. "Jango may have done it in the middle of a bar fight, but there were two Mandalorians present to witness it, even if they were smashed and fighting." She patted his head. "And yes, I went bar-hopping with Jango. Not," she added, "that I ever drank anything. Alcohol and I don't really mix."

"Oh..." Boba didn't know what to say. Naruto sighed and hugged him.

"I know it'll be a difficult transition. I probably will be on business for the Jedi a lot. But... I'm here, kid."

She was serious.

"Okay," he took a deep breath. "I'll go with you."


	44. Chapter 44

Naruto finished taking the rest of her things to the ship parked in the middle of the Temple courtyard in the dead of night. She'd told the Council that she was leaving the Temple to focus on the Force, and that she'd be available by comlink.

They agreed (probably because she hadn't been sleeping well at the Temple, and had bags under her eyes, making her look terrible), and allowed her to leave. The reason she was leaving in the dead of night? Because Naruto preferred to leave quietly than with the Masters all circled around her like hawks.

Konohamaru was joining her. At first she'd been curious as to why, but then he'd given her a cheeky smile and said, "The last time you left me somewhere I ended up getting kidnapped."

Of course, Naruto had been mentally winded but she'd given a smile. The last time she'd left him alone, he'd been kidnapped, Jango had died, and Naruto had killed a lot of Falleen.

Once in the apartment, Naruto felt better away from the probing presences of the Masters.

~:~

She stared in the mirror, staring at her long yellow hair.

For a moment she considered it. She really did.

But she didn't. She didn't want to keep it long.

So she cut it. Close to her head, but not so short it looked like she was a boy. Long enough that she'd need a headband, so she took out one of her old cloths and folded it over her head. Her hair was out of the way, her ears were hidden... She liked the look.

She exited the 'fresher, ignoring Boba's shocked look and Konohamaru's stare.

"Karin! Tayuya! Could you make Boba some breakfast and take him to the Academy?"

Naruto had signed him up in the middle of the night after asking his permission. Zam, Dengar, and the other bounty hunters Naruto knew were all busy, and Naruto had to go to the Temple. Master Forinth and Master Fisto had requested her in the Temple Archives (puzzling enough) and Anakin had asked if her Padawan was willing to spend a day with his own Padawan, who hated studying.

Her reply had been a positive. And that's where she was headed, sliding her whip into one of her boots and clipping her sabers onto her belt.

"Sure," Tayuya said with a smile, touching her sister's hand briefly. In response, Karin smiled and drank her water.

"Let's go, Kono," Naruto beckoned her apprentice. He nodded and got up.

~:~

She met the masters in front of the Vault.

"Masters. You requested me for something?" She felt unusually small when Master Forinth was around. Her color was an unusual gray-green. She felt at ease around the brilliant solid green Master Fisto. Together, the Masters made her feel small and kind of at ease.

"Since I 'hear' the Force, and Kit here sees visions... We need you to find a holocron crystal hidden in the Vault," Master Forinth said with another smile. "Together, you, Kit, and I will find it."

"Forgive me for asking, Master Forinth, but... Why am I needed?"

"The Force has spoken," Master Forinth said firmly. "I know what's on the holocron crystal, but I don't know where it is. Kit knows what the crystals look like, but he doesn't know what the crystal has on it. I believe the Force wants you to know what is on the crystal."

Master Fisto opened the Vault, and Naruto hesitantly stepped in first.

Naruto got a feeling as she got closer to the Vault of Holocrons. Her tail swished as the next door opened, and her ears perked up as she leaned forward. Her jaw dropped, staring at the vast amount of holocrons that filled hundreds of shelves.

However, she tore her eyes off them and looked at the crystals. Normally, a holocron had the crystal inserted. On rare occasions was the crystal separated from the holocron itself.

She honed in on one.

"You found it," Master Forinth breathed.

Naruto plucked it from the shelf.

Naruto's eyes widened as hundreds of names and their locations streamed into her mind.

A headache formed. She dropped the crystal, and it shattered.

"You just broke a -" Master Fisto started, but was cut off.

"I know what's on the crystal. It's in my mind." Naruto stared at the floor, mentally shoving the names and planet lists behind a locked door. "Very little can break my mind. I rely on the Force. _Shimatta."_ She didn't even realize she'd sworn in her original language. "I got a big headache now..."

"Stay here," Master Forinth ordered. "Kit and I shall go to the other Jedi."

~:~

Anora slipped into the Vault as the other two masters exited, too preoccupied to sense her.

She opened the Vault's other door, her eyes shining in awe, only to stop at seeing Naruto staring at shards of a holocron crystal with guilt.

"You _broke_ a holocron crystal?"

"Not on purpose," Naruto said after a small pause. "Anora..." Naruto paused and frowned, looking up at the other Knight. "What are you even doing in here?"

Anora shifted guiltily.

"I snuck in." Naruto nodded like that was reasonable.

Then she tilted her head.

"What's in there?"

Anora frowned and looked at the very blank wall she was staring at.

"What?" Naruto walked up to her, walking on the shards, never looking away. Naruto's hand settled on Anora's, radiating a large amount of heat. Anora blinked. Alterians liked heat - at least those with such animalistic features like Naruto's. Anora looked up and did a double take.

A door was right there, innocuous-looking.

"That's... Very Sith." Anora knew saying that in the _Jedi Temple_ was probably heresy, but altering the minds of whoever walked in here to never notice the door? Very Sith-like.

Anora walked towards it curiously, dragging a seemingly reluctant Naruto with her.

Using the Force, she entered it.

Sitting on a table was a lone holocron. Not blue, like the other Jedi holocrons, and not box-shaped. Nor was it red, indicating a Sith Holocron.

It was circular and gray, not perched on a shelf like others; it hovered and turned lazily in midair.

"What is this?" Anora asked.

Naruto reached out.

Her fur was now blood red, and a dark voice came from her.

" **A holocron of my people, the Alterians."**

With a wave of her hand, the holocron opened.

A man stood there.

" **I never realized I looked like that when I was male,"** Naruto said in that same dark voice.

The man was in vivid color. He looked human, but his hair was very spiky and red. His eyes, too, were red and very slitted.

Then he spoke.

' _This is my first holocron, so I'm not quite sure what to say.'_

"This is a recording." Anora looked at Naruto's back. Naruto looked at her - and with horror, Anora saw that she had red eyes.

" **I was younger then."**

Naruto - or the one inside her, staring at Anora - turned her head back to the holocron.

' _My father said to create one to complete our training. So, here I am.'_ The spiky-haired man sighed and sat down. ' _My oldest brother, Indra, has decided to leave. Shukaku is thinking on leaving, the fool.'_ He raked a hand through his hair. ' _Father thinks that we're all going to die because of our infighting - but as Asura says, we still have room to grow. He's a fool, but... A good-hearted one, I believe.'_

The person blinked. ' _How foolish of me. This is my holocron, and I have not said my name. I am Otsutsuki Kurama.'_

The holocron flickered off and flew into Naruto's hand.

The door opened, and Anora turned, panic on her face. She didn't want to be expelled!

The Grandmaster was there, gazing at the two Knights. Five other masters stood there.

"Be in here, Jedi Knights should not," he said - right before Kurama, as Anora had deduced, _twitched_ one of her hands.

The humanoid masters slammed against the walls. Yoda seemed to dig in, fighting to stay on his feet.

Anora froze at the Dark Side coming from Naruto.

" **How dare you take this from my people."** Kurama's tone was oddly detached. " **My people have an incomplete history because of you stealing this holocron.** _ **MY holocron."**_

Anora swallowed as Kurama turned, her eyes glaring at the masters. " **You are lucky I don't snap your necks. Although, considering our last meeting, Grandmaster, I'm not surprised this holocron never made it to my people's clutches."** A crazed smile came on Naruto's lips. The holocron was somewhere on her person.

"You have met before?" Anora blurted.

" **Again, I'm not surprised it never came up. He blasted my very weak consciousness from him. Finding another host was extremely difficult. I'm glad I found her. One of my direct line is certain to prove useful!"**

Anora frowned. Kurama was angry. Normally, with Sith, they weren't erratic. But Naruto _was_ erratic. And Naruto _was_ Light and emotional. Sith rarely showed anything but anger and rage and hate. Kurama was trying to pull off the malice, but the holocron _unsettled_ the Dark User.

"Kurama." Kurama's attention turned to Anora. "Why are you acting like this? Hurting the Masters won't do you _or_ Naruto very well. If the Masters allow you to take the holocron to your home, with another supervising Master, do you think you could leave them alone? Hurting them will hurt your descendant." Anora added a slight layer of Force to her words, holding up her hands and discreetly using it to calm the mind of the agitated Sith Lady.

Kurama calmed slightly, turning away and letting the Masters go.

Anora let out a slight sigh of relief before Kurama's voice snapped at her.

" **Let's go, Jedi."**

"I'm not a Master, and the door is that way," Anora replied flatly, pointing to the door next to the Masters.

Kurama turned to the door and left, Anora leaving behind her.

~:~

Her presence was met with fear and shock. Kurama smirked as she stalked the hallowed halls of the Jedi Temple.

" **Ah, isn't this refreshing? Terrorizing Jedi. Brings me back to terrorizing my** _ **otouto."**_

' _This is SO not refreshing. You're hurting the people_ I _call family,'_ Naruto said.

" **Do not call these infidels '** _ **family',**_ **you foolish Alterian."** Kurama tilted her head. " **How cruel. Another of our family has been sent here."**

She used the Force and shoved open the door to the practice arena and stalked in.

The master standing there looked extremely shocked and terrified.

" **I'm here for our darling little Padawan."** She smiled, then glared at the Alterian. White-faced, the boy left the room with her.

"It's alright!" she heard the idiot Twi'lek girl say. "Just a mild case of Sith-ghost-possession! Have to go now!"

" **Leave it alone, Twi'lek."** She exited the Temple. She waved her hand and the Guards flew back.

Naruto's human 'friend' stepped from behind a pillar, saber activated.

" **Get out of my way,"** Kurama snarled.

 _STOP IT, KURAMA!_ Kurama chose to ignore her and take out one of her lightsabers.

" **Stand aside,"** Kurama said coldly. " **I do not wish to harm you."**

Anakin Skywalker smiled, but it wasn't a nice one.

"Leave her alone," he said, shifting a little. "I'll make sure she gets it to your home."

Kurama tilted her head. _**Is he worthy to be called family?**_

 _I have always thought so,_ Naruto replied.

Kurama launched herself at Anakin, using the pillars to hop and bear on Anakin from above, the very picture of an angry Jedi. The two Jedi clashed, Kurama using Form VII - most people didn't use this. She fed her aggression into it, lowering the strikes to a tolerable level for Jedi, and found herself quite impressed as Skywalker parried her first strike and pressed his advantage of being taller, making sure to back away when Kurama's blade got too close to cutting his clothes and parrying that move; Kurama chuckled and overshot, causing the human to sweep a foot under hers and make her drop. Kurama shut off her lightsaber as she hit the floor, then receded into Naruto's mind.

 _ **I suppose he is worthy.**_


	45. Chapter 45

Anakin waited until the red had receded from his sister's eyes before lending her a helping hand.

"She was just testing you," Naruto said weakly as she took the hand.

"You just... Made all the Temple guards fly back!" Anora looked shocked, awed, and dismayed all at once.

"Maybe we should go... Take the holocron back," Naruto suggested, backing up as the Temple guards appeared, holding their lightsabers at ready position. "Maybe get my sisters. Mother will want to see them."

The small group of Jedi pretty much fled the Temple.

~:~

Karin had just gotten Boba home when Naruto burst in, making a call to Boba's Academy and listing 'I'm his mom, a Jedi _kriffing_ Knight, and I'm taking him out of the Academy for now' as the excuse.

"Karin, Tayuya, Boba, we're headed to see our mother," she said to the three, indicating the shuttle waiting outside. "We should hurry in case there are Jedi Masters around."

"Why? Did you steal a holocron or something?" Karin asked, chuckling - only for that chuckle to stop as Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"In my defense it was a crazy Sith, not me, but... Essentially, yes, I stole a holocron. We should go if you want to come."

Tayuya shrugged. "I'm up for it."

~:~

Kushina was contacted. She was _not_ happy to be roused at midnight on one of the times she _needed_ sleep. Not even her children had been inconsiderate at this point.

Thankfully it was far more discreet than when Itachi had entered Alteria - this time, Kushina was just alerted to the fact that there was a group of Jedi outside Alteria with regular outsiders.

When daylight hit Alderaan again, Kushina was on the first transport to the station; she wasn't normally supposed to leave Alteria, but Minato had Kakashi to tell if anything went wrong.

Exiting the transport, she smiled as she saw her daughter.

The smile froze as she saw a Twi'lek, two kids, two women, and a man.

"Bringing guests?" she asked her daughter as she approached them.

Her daughter smiled. "Mother... This is Karin and Tayuya." Kushina stared at the girls for a moment before realizing something.

 _Damn you, Madara._ And as though a cloud was shifting away from her vision, she leaped forward and hugged her children.

"Oh, _darlings,_ I am _so_ sorry for not -" Kushina didn't continue, because she didn't know what to say to her oldest daughters, if she was honest. Kushina closed her eyes tightly for a long moment, then took and released a deep breath. "I'm your mother, Kushina." She withdrew and looked at Karin. "You're Karin. You're Tayuya." Both grinned at each other. Tayuya was quite burly; Karin slimmer thanks to her Force-sensitive nature. Most with the Force had a slim build, especially women.

Kushina cleared her throat and eyed the children.

"Who are they?"

"My Padawan," Naruto smiled, resting her hand on the head of the Jedi child.

Kushina blinked. "Little Konohamaru!" She beamed and waved. "I'm Kushina!"

Konohamaru nodded, blushing a little. "I remember you, Aunt Kushina." He smiled.

Kushina smiled back warmly, then turned a slightly reserved one on the other kid.

"This is my adopted son." Kushina's eyes shot to her daughter. Grief showed on her face for a moment. "Boba Fett, son of the bounty hunter Jango Fett. My - well." She shifted uneasily. "Jango was my adopted father." She averted her eyes for a minute, then turned to the Twi'lek and the human. "Oh, this is Anora Kyorsk and Anakin Skywalker - Anora's my best friend, and Anakin is my brother figure." The Twi'lek bowed, glancing at Naruto with slight hurt.

Kushina swallowed a chuckle. She paused as the kid coughed.

"Hey, Grandma." Naruto looked horrified. Kushina smiled sweetly and turned to her adopted grandson, walked right up to him... And suddenly looked positively demonic.

"I'M NOT OLD, YOU BRAT!"

She patted his head after she yelled at him.

"You'll make a fine young man."

Her youngest daughter looked visibly relieved.

Anakin bowed as Kushina approached him.

"Stand up fully, boy." Anakin did, looking a little annoyed. "Dislike for authority. I like it. Welcome to the family, Skywalker, Fett. As soon as you guys all come in, we can discuss this - after I speak to the council. They won't be happy that three outsiders are coming in..." She paused for a moment as Naruto shifted. "What?"

Naruto brought out a round holocron. "This is what _she_ stole from the Jedi Archives."

Kushina's eyes widened.

"Hide it." Naruto put it back. "Get on the transport. Send the bill to me, the Hokage," she added to the person at the turnstile. "Let's go."

The group entered the transport.

~:~

Uchiha Madara glared at Uzumaki Kushina.

"Outsiders, Hokage? You go too far."

A foxy smirk was on Kushina's face.

"No," she denied. "I do not go 'too far'. Three outsiders cannot do much harm. Even if they did, Madara, I know how to keep them silent." She paused, then dropped something on the table. "My daughter, the Jedi Knight, Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, has recovered this. A holocron of Kurama."

The holocron was revealed.

Madara only felt frustration as another victory of Kushina's was shown.

Kushina smiled again. "And we do have some evidence that Kurama is back. I have sent two of the outsiders back to explain things to the Jedi. One of the outsiders has been adopted by my daughter Naruto; do you all contest her right?"

"Unless she, and your other recently returned family members, take the Trials as soon as your youngest becomes of age, we cannot contest her right. If she misses her first Trial of Age, _then_ we can contest it," Nara Shikaku said lazily. "I've not met the brat, but she sounds like a good kid."

Madara scowled, but said nothing.

Kushina smiled thinly. "Very well."


	46. Chapter 46

"Lord Sidious, my lover is Alterian. Unless you want me to quit, I suggest you give me another assignment." Sasori glared at the Sith Lord, who looked quite displeased.

"Very well then. If you can create Sith poison - the ultimate form - I shall reward you handsomely. If you fail me this time I will send the agents of Danzou your way." Sasori stiffened minutely.

"I never failed," Sasori uttered. "I simply refused to create what you wanted."

Sidious smiled thinly, and vanished.

Sasori got to work immediately, ignoring Deidara, who stared at him forlornly before walking away.

~:~

Alone. He thought he'd been alone since before Sasori had bought him from the slavers who'd taken him. His memory had been gone, and he'd been an angry kid.

But... Karin and Naruto... Deidara was _sure_ he had a connection with them. No matter if Sasori had rescued him... If he had a family, he wanted to know.

So he looked into the records of the Black Sun, thanking the stars he knew the passcode through his datapad.

Someone had copied them. He suppressed his smile and dithered for a moment. Knowing who the Sith Lord was, he was certain that Sidious would find out sooner or later.

Sucking in a deep breath, he bought a Republic astromech droid.

He closed his eyes, shutting off his datapad and rubbing his eyes.

Time to smuggle some plans through an astromech droid to the Jedi Council.

Deidara went back to his station, staring at his latest creation.

He started to modify it. The Republic preferred human pilots.

Deidara grinned.

Sasori would probably kill him if he knew what he was doing. But Sasori hadn't told him something about his own past.

And to Deidara, no matter how much he was 'Sasori's', he was still his own person.

~:~

Naruto did her physical training every morning in the backyard of the home in Alteria. It was heavy workouts, too - one hundred push-ups, one hundred curl-ups, twenty-five twenty-minute handstands on each arm.

It was usually peppered with distractions, too. Like Konohamaru falling after the ten-second mark, Tayuya and Karin distracting her with loud conversation, or even Boba accidentally missing the target painted on the fence of the property and hitting Naruto.

Or nearly hitting her, anyway.

"Hey, Boba," she called one afternoon of Konohamaru failing the handstands and too many distractions. "Use my legs as target practice instead of the normal target."

"Uh... Is that safe?"

"No, but I heal fast. I'll try not to dodge. Konohamaru. Every time you fall, Boba is going to take a shot at one of my legs." Naruto maneuvered herself to look at Boba upside-down. "If he actually hits one of my legs, that means tomorrow you'll be meditating all day. No distractions." She smiled at him. It felt odd.

She was kind of losing feeling in her legs, though, so she _did_ hope that Konohamaru picked it up fast.

~:~

Naruto grimaced as she threw up again. Kushina took away the bowl and came back.

"You spent _all day_ trying to teach Konohamaru to do something or you'd get hurt? That was dumb," Kushina scolded.

"Boba can't hit a target above three feet," Naruto said flatly. "Teaching two people at once seemed to be a good idea. Luckily Boba didn't actually hit me."

"Yes, that's lucky." Kushina gave her some ramen. "It'll help. You should do some saber training with Boba and Konohamaru. Despite him not being Force-sensitive, Boba is an exceptional child. Are you sure his father wasn't a latent Force-sensitive?" Kushina frowned.

Naruto bit her lip. "...he wasn't born like I was, Mother. He was cloned."

Kushina shrugged. "What should that matter, Naruto? The Force has a strange way in working in all of us." A smile played on her face. "I do wonder one thing. What's going on between you and Itachi-kun?"

Naruto, who had taken a big bite of her ramen, choked.

"NOTHING," she wheezed. " _Nothing._ We're... At best, we're _allies._ Jeez. He... I mean... I... He said he was _falling in love with me,_ but that was probably a lie!"

"You're in denial, sweetheart. Sometimes love just appears." Kushina blushed a little thinking of her husband. "Mine did," she said dreamily.

Naruto scowled and set her bowl down.

"I chose the Jedi Path."

"And yet celibacy was never officially part of the Code, is it?" Kushina calmly retorted.

Naruto scoffed. "Master Yoda said it was for women. I choose to abide by his words."

Kushina stood up.

"That master." Her voice was cold. "That master is one we Alterians have always been at odds with. He dislikes that we stand for an almost perfect balance between Light and Darkness, between Jedi and Sith. We live in harmony - or something close to it, anyway. Politics, of course, exist." Naruto snorted. "He would rather we not procreate at all."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "So casual sex is the way to procreate?"

Kushina turned, looking surprised. "Oh, no, dear." She shook her head. "Alterians cannot accept any children but the ones their hearts are captured by. Otherwise we'd be sold in every black market under the many suns."

Naruto stared at her mother. "So... I could totally sleep with Itachi, no strings attached?"

Kushina stared at her. "Well, _yeah,_ if you don't feel anything for him and don't feel like you're breaking the Code. But since he _is_ Alterian, I would recommend protection. Just in case." She winked at Naruto.

Mortified, the teenage Jedi buried her face in her hands.

"After you're done training Konohamaru and Boba tomorrow, I'd like to take you to the Archive of Alteria," Kushina suddenly said, jerking Naruto out of her mortifying thoughts. "You and Karin. You are nearly of age in Alterian culture; it is only right you see some of our secrets." She patted Naruto's leg. "Get some sleep."


	47. Chapter 47

Anakin and Anora watched the reactions of the Jedi Council as they stepped behind the ring of chairs and watched the holocube Kushina had sent the Council.

Kushina was dressed in formal wear, her tail waving behind her, her ears angled elsewhere, but very visible.

"Jedi Masters," she began formally. "I am Uzumaki Kushina, Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, the ancient Village Hidden in the Leaves. I am talking to you about a particular incident that occurred not a standard day ago upon making this holovideo. Let me tell you this. Master Yoda, if you expel my daughter from the Order, I will tell you that it is _not her fault_ she has an old Alterian Sith inside of her." Kushina paused. "Actually, it _might_ be her fault, but from what I heard my ancestor likes skipping from host to host, so I don't think it is." Kushina paused to collect herself. "The holocron you stole from my people is an artifact my people have been searching for centuries - no, since Kurama _lost the damn thing_ in the first place. You _swore_ to hand over all Alterian artifacts that you may find. I find your part of the bargain severely lacking, Jedi."

Kushina was definitely enjoying poking a sleeping dragon.

"One last thing." Kushina's smirk dropped off of her face. "Kurama is _not dangerous_ with Naruto. If there is anyone Kurama will finally achieve the goal Kurama has been looking for, then it is Naruto. You ask what Kurama's goal is?" Kushina seemed to look Yoda in the eyes for a moment. "Ask Master Yoda."

Everyone looked at Yoda as the holocube turned off as her last words hung in the air.

"What's Kurama's goal?"

Yoda sighed, a sigh that indicated how old he felt.

"A fear of many, her goal is." Yoda got off his chair. "A training exercise, the story is."

"The chancellor is right outside the room," Mace Windu frowned. "Are you going to lie to his face?"

Yoda kept walking, seeming to not have heard him. Anakin swore Master Yoda was _smirking_ , so he chalked up the 'not have heard Master Windu' to 'selective deafness'.

The door opened.

The Chancellor did indeed stand there, looking as old and kindly as ever.

"A wasted trip, this was," Master Yoda informed him, looking serious. "Test for the Jedi, the attack Knight Uzumaki did was. Unharmed, Knight Skywalker is. Vouch for her, I will." Master Yoda kept walking. "Dismissed, the Council is."

Half the Jedi in the room had small little smiles on their faces as they passed the chancellor.

Anakin felt kind of uneasy as he smiled at the chancellor, bowing at him. Why did he feel like this?

 _Alteria has a way of clearing the mind of cobwebs, enhancing the senses of the individual,_ he recalled that pink-haired nurse say as she'd used a decontamination gas on him. _This gas neutralizes poisons that cloud the mind and judgment. Whatever you feel should be your own._

Anakin straightened and started to walk again.

"Anakin, my boy." The chancellor smiled at him genially. "I do so rarely get to see you; would you mind talking with me?"

Not planning on joining the Separatists, Anakin had little choice but to do what the current leader of the Republic asked.

~:~

Naruto reveled in being free from the possibility of being punished for Kurama's actions. All they'd done was call her into the Council, ask her random questions, and then send her away.

She'd decided to go see Anakin and Padme.

Walking into Padme's office, she ignored the kiss they were sharing and flopped on the couch.

"You two are cute." Naruto summoned a catalog. "Hey, Padme - can you buy me one of these? I need to get a few gifts for my family on Alderaan. Learned some neat stuff from them, including their birthdays. I can pay you back, but not right now."

"Naruto, you have the _worst_ timing in the galaxy." Anakin looked kind of embarrassed.

Naruto popped her head over the top of the couch.

"You two spend every night Anakin's here in the city," Naruto said flatly. "Spare some time for your little sister, would you two?"

Naruto huffed and stood up.

"Naruto -"

A beep was heard. Anakin dived behind Padme's desk, Naruto diving behind the couch and vanishing.

Padme gaped before the door opened. She scooped up Anakin's weapon and hid it in her sleeve.

"Are you ready, Senator?" he asked her.

She swallowed and stood, nodding at him.

"Yes, I am," she said, her voice coming out a tad annoyed.

"Was I interrupting anything?" The kind older man looked sorry.

"Well, if you were, whatever you were interrupting is done now," Naruto said, appearing and waving. "Hi. Padme wanted some company. I was grounded by the Council for the time being." She continued reading the catalog and stood. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not," Bail said, looking quite excited. "What's your view on the using clones to clone more soldiers? Emptying the bank?"

"I'll tell you when I see the other Senators," Naruto said, face still in the magazine. "For now, I need to get some ideas for Ani's mother's birthday. I forgot to get her something last year, which means I can't forget this year."

Anakin poked his head over as they left.

"Why does _she_ get to join them?" he pouted.

~:~

Naruto looked up in the bounty hunter's face. Cad Bane, if she was right.

"Sorry, what?" she asked innocently. "I couldn't hear you. I was looking at beautiful jewelry." Her eyes went back to the catalog and widened, practically sparkling as she spotted a pretty gem. "Oh, pretty!" she smiled, catching everyone off guard - her fist flew out and she caught the bounty hunter under the chin. She dropped the magazine and brought out her whip, activating it.

It burned into the floor.

She lashed out with the whip, curling around his arm before cutting that hand off.

The bounty hunter snarled in pain and yelled out.

"Sing! Shoot her!"

Naruto deactivated the light part of her whip, lashing the whip out and getting Bane's throat.

She tugged him over to her, grinning.

"I wouldn't, Aurra!" she called to them. "A Jedi I may be, but you are bounty hunters."

Aurra's laugh was audible. "Some people need money, sweetheart. Now!"

Bane moved forward, using his height advantage to yank the younger Jedi forward.

The younger Jedi face planted, her whip _just_ out of reach. She reached toward it, using the Force, and it slithered in her hand.

Immersing herself in the Force, Naruto held out her left hand.

A glowing blue orb, made completely of Force energy, pooled into her hand.

Naruto ran forward, going for the Trandoshan bounty hunter and shoving the orb into his back. He went flying and slammed into the wall.

"One down," Naruto muttered, throwing her senses around to feel for the others.

She used the Force to bring them closer, or at least make them stop in their tracks. But she lost her concentration on them when Aurra shot at her.

It hit her dead on, making her stagger a bit before another two blasts hit her, making her body weak, but not unconscious.

"Leave her here." A hand grabbed her hair and started to drag her. A groan left her involuntarily; but that was short-lived when another blast of the stun gun stunned her.

~:~

Padme felt appalled. As Naruto was dragged by her short hair, completely unconscious, she could only bring her hands to her mouth, horrified at the treatment Naruto was being given.

"This is appalling. They kidnap us, take down a Jedi... All for what? What could they possibly want?" Bail was frowning.

"Not ransom," Padme said, shaking her head. This had been just a random meeting. She scanned the group of mixed Senators. No, there wasn't any way that any of the opposition would purposely kidnap themselves.

Mon Mothma frowned gently. "How will we survive this?"

Padme scanned the room again. Nothing but Naruto's whip, which was laying on the ground near her, where the female bounty hunter had dragged her.

"We could take the Jedi to that one place," one of the male bounty hunters said, leering at the Jedi, who had twitched.

"Only if the Jedi gives more trouble than anticipated." Bane put a new hand on his arm. "Now let's hurry. The Chancellor should be in his office right about now." He smirked.

Naruto wasn't moving.

"Naruto," Padme whispered. "Please, help."

The Jedi's eyes opened. She stood up.

Her whip flew into her hand.

"Sorry, bounty hunters." They all turned to her, looking annoyed and shocked. "You can't knock me down." She jumped, jumping to the wall and sticking to it like a frog. Then she _stood up,_ turning around to face the Senators, a smirk on her face.

"Hey, Padme. Mind if I use it?"

Padme caught her left hand wiggling and nodded, holding out her sleeve.

Anakin's lightsaber flew from her sleeve. The Jedi ignited it, her blue eyes thrown into sharp relief as she scowled at the bounty hunters.

"I'm out," the female bounty hunter said, saluting the Jedi, who nodded shortly at her. "Check ya later, Naruto."

The bounty hunter left, and as the Trandoshan went to leave, the doors slid shut.

"You're not leaving so fast."

"I hate killing kids," Bane growled.

The Jedi bristled. "I'm seventeen, dick!"

"I said I hated killing kids, not that I _wouldn't."_

Bane was taunting her. Judging by the annoyance flashing on the teen Jedi's face, she knew that too.

"I hate killing, myself," Naruto growled. "But I think I'll make an exception if you don't tell me why the _fuck_ you're - _Why_ am I _talking?"_

She raised her hand.

"You _will_ tell me what you're doing."

Her eyes were closed, so she didn't see Bane getting something from his boot.

"Watch out!" Senator Riyo Chuchi called to her.

Her eyes opened as Bane threw the item at her.

Naruto cut the weapon in half.

The teenager stared down at the Senators.

"I see." Her voice was neutral. "The hard way it is."

The Jedi Knight leaped off the wall, cutting the droid bounty hunter into small pieces.

"One down." The Jedi vanished from inside the pile of bounty hunters. "Who's next?" Her voice echoed around the room, followed by a laugh.

"I am!" Naruto's voice again echoed, and Naruto appeared, hitting one of the huddled hunters so hard he flew back.

That Naruto vanished with a creepy little laugh.

"Quit playing childish games, little girl." Bane held his gun out, his red eyes searching around for something he couldn't see.

He flew forward.

Naruto grinned and vanished.

"Three down. One left - oh, wait. Nope. Zero." Naruto appeared, this time holding Anakin's deactivated lightsaber. "Nice job, Anakin."

The door opened, and Anakin stood there with Aurra Sing, who looked disappointed.

"Bane shot his other partner," Anakin said. "Cuff them," he ordered the newly-arrived guards, who cuffed the bounty hunters. "Now, lightsaber?"

Naruto dropped it in his hand. "Everyone okay?"

Padme nodded, smiling to herself.

~:~

Itachi looked over the requested manifest that he'd intercepted. A bunch of slaves, deathsticks, and weapons.

Separatist-made weapons.

And last but not least, an astromech droid.

Itachi eyed the little guy. There was something -

"Spark."

Spark happily rocked back and forth.

"What's wrong? Why are you here?"

In that moment, Itachi forgot he couldn't understand 'droidspeak' like a lot of other Force wielders could. Spark remembered, for her just gave a 'really?' sound before wheeling away.

Risking his neck to go against the Black Sun was easier than Itachi had thought. He'd had his fair share of assignments from the Black Sun anonymously before he joined, and he'd heard horror stories of what happened to those who moved against them actively.

Itachi was a believer in free will, though, so he'd taken his chance with this.

He moved to the cargo bay, noting the increased fear as he stepped into the room.

Shock collars were present on each of the slaves. A Twi'lek mother held her child away from Itachi, but he just went down the cargo bay to make sure that the cages were all occupied before he let them loose.

He saw a group of Chiss children, which made him pause - why would the Black Sun cart some of the Chiss, who belonged to another government, and risk exposure like this?

Itachi mentally shook off his questions and opened the cages with a single broad hand motion, the Force flowing smoothly around him.

He walked back to the cockpit of the ship, mentally reviewing his checklist. His ever-faithful K-45 was on Itachi's ship, which was on the pre-arranged meeting planet of Ryloth.

He had quite a problem on his hands, and it had to do with the Chiss on his ship. Of course, he _could_ call the Ascendancy, see if they could - or would - take the children back, but he hadn't heard any rumors concerning the Chiss Ascendancy (which wasn't that shocking, considering that they preferred keeping their distance from anyone _not_ them) and a bunch of children.

Well, there wasn't much he could do until _after_ he dropped the rest of the slaves off. Then there was that thing where he had to kidnap Naruto and take her to Alteria for her Trials.

He stopped the hyperdrive and Spark plugged in the coordinates to Ryloth.


	48. Chapter 48

Naruto was back on the front lines. She ran forward, slicing into droids.

Okay, maybe not _really_ on the front lines. The Council was still pretty upset. She was on Lokori, a planet near Ryloth but not exactly a major stop. It was the home of a manufacturing company that made personal communication devices.

Naruto Force-jumped and landed in front of a group of humans, using the Force to push the droids away.

Konohamaru was a tiny ball of annoying-ness three battalions over, mostly using his lightsaber to block and rebound the shots. Naruto was all over, going where she saw she was needed.

She turned to the group of sentients.

"Move over there!" She moved a door with the force, and the group of humans took shelter there.

A Separatist bomber swooped in. Naruto ignited her whip and flung it, and the end of her whip wrapped around the cortosis plating in the small juncture between the body of the bomber and the wing, making it to where when she flicked her wrist it would crash away from the hiding sentients.

She flicked her wrist, and it crashed and shorted out.

Naruto retracted her whip, deactivating it, then activated her dual blades, twirling and throwing the lightsaber.

It flew through her last opponents, and she recalled it, ducking and holding her hand higher as it rotated violently.

It settled in her hand, deactivated.

She turned to the sentients, and one of them spoke her name.

"Naruto?"

Naruto took a closer look.

"Lyra, right?" she asked the woman.

The woman nodded, holding a baby, who started to cry.

Naruto came closer, peering at the little life.

"Hello, little one," Naruto whispered,wiggling her hand in the baby's face, soothing her mind with very faint Force manipulation. "I'm a Jedi." She beamed at the baby. She looked up at Lyra.

"What's her name?"

"Jyn," Lyra replied, smiling. "Are you here to save us?"

Naruto nodded, not even looking up at the others. "I'll do what I can. Knuckle!"

A clone trooper trotted up, taking off his helmet.

"Yes, General?"

Instead of answering, Naruto turned back to Lyra.

"Knuckle has my utmost trust. Do what he says." Then she turned back to him. "Take -" She trailed off, her eyes drifting. Then she blinked, shaking her head. "Take a contingent and protect them," she ordered.

Knuckle nodded. "Yes, General."

Naruto nodded at him and smiled at Jyn. "She'll sleep until the morning," she told Lyra before walking off, igniting her blades, not heading to the battle - but off to the side.

Naruto waited as the dark presence she'd felt entered her field of vision.

Her eyes widened.

 _Maul... Did he get his powers back?_

His yellow eyes glared at her malevolently.

"Brother... Let us destroy her."

The other Zabrak appeared.

"Oh, kriffing hell." Naruto got ready.

~:~

"There is... A delicate matter the Jedi wish to tell you, Chancellor." Mace Windu looked very uncomfortable as he stood in front of the Chancellor. "You know of the approaching threat."

"I do. The Separatists would not dare strike in the heart of the galaxy." The Chancellor stood up.

"Actually, Chancellor... We speak of the threat of the Sith." Master Luminara Unduli said, folding her hands and putting them in her lap.

Her apprentice, Padawan Barriss Offee, shifted in obvious surprise.

"It is clear to the Jedi Council that the Rule of Two is no longer employed. We have felt a such disturbance as the presence of a Sith on the same planet as one of our own. Quite a large disturbance, too. The Force is shifting, Chancellor. Our request is that some of the Masters be able to visit Lokori to aide the Knight and Padawan sent there to fight the Separatists." Luminara spoke steadily, her eyes steady.

The Chancellor turned to them.

"Do you have true evidence of such activity?"

"Yes. Lokori was once a planet that hosted large amounts of Jedi. With our relocation to Coruscant, the Jedi moved here. The Sith hate us, and we do not tolerate their presence."

"If you have proof, then I grant you permission."

~:~

Naruto grunted as she used her Force Push against theirs.

"You've grown. More than I had suspected." Maul smiled darkly. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you."

"Master!"

Maul laughed, taking some of the Push aside.

Konohamaru choked.

Naruto felt separated from her body.

One part of her was staring at her student, getting Force choked, and another part of her was calculating how much Force to use to overpower them.

Slowly - it seemed, anyway - the _logical_ part of her brain stopped fighting her.

The _emotional_ side clicked.

Her _Alterian_ side.

A growl came from her throat, and Naruto let them Force Push her back, but she remained on her feet.

She gathered her power. All of it stemmed purely from the Light Side of the Force, and Naruto released it in a ball of dark blue energy, making it slam into the two Sith.

She inhaled, her eyes sharper than ever.

She darted up to them, slamming her fist into Maul's face, then using his face as a springboard to kick the other in the head with all her strength and then some, her kick augmented by the Force. She then dropped to Maul's shoulder's, something dark slithering up. It was subtle, so she didn't see it for what it was.

She wrapped her hands around Maul's throat and began to choke him. Physically.

He staggered back, trying to get her off.

Kurama forced her fingers to uncurl, for her to jump down.

Naruto shoved Konohamaru behind her - grabbing her whip, she dropped her lightsaber.

 _Stupid,_ she chastised herself. She activated it, shoving her pupil further behind her, near the building.

She slowly moved her whip - and then she flicked her wrist a certain way, causing Maul to yell out in anger.

Naruto recalled another bit of... Well, it wasn't exactly _magic,_ but it wasn't necessarily Light or Dark, and it wasn't exactly very Jedi-like.

She bent the Force of Lokori, the planet itself. Planets existed in the Force, and as a result, things like this happened.

The Jedi forced a huge wall of dirt up from the ground, extending almost completely around the facility that had yet to be completely evacuated.

Naruto gestured for Konohamaru to go in the building.

He did.

Naruto again bent Lokori's Force and the section in front of her dropped with a shudder back in the ground, only to pop up behind her.

Planetary Force was not something Naruto particularly liked to mess with. It was... It left a bad taste in her mouth.

She lashed out with her whip - but the yellow-skinned Zabrak caught it and started dragging her, too quickly for her to let go. Green mist flowed from his hands - And then he grabbed her robes.

Her eyes were wide with fear as he grabbed her neck and started to squeeze.

Just as she was losing consciousness, she was thrown through the air, crashing through glass and landing up at Konohamaru's feet, her whip deactivated.

She stood, just as explosives rained down on the building.

Both Jedi were thrown from their positions.

~:~

Konohamaru opened his eyes.

He was safe, relatively speaking. Air flowed from a crack, and he recalled what happened.

 _Master..._ He reached for her. Her consciousness was below him, still aware.

 _Hey, Kono._ She sounded mentally exhausted.

 _What was that cool thing you did back there?_

 _Something you'll probably learn from me after my Trials._ Naruto sounded very tired. _Konohamaru, I don't have any air coming in down here, and I don't think you have much, either, so I'm going to go in a Force trance. Can you shift any of the rocks with the Force on your end?_

Konohamaru tried, but he couldn't concentrate.

 _No, Master. I think I have a concussion. Sorry._

 _It's okay. Just go into a Force trance, too. You'll be fine. DO NOT fall asleep._

 _Same for you, Master._

 _Don't worry about me._

Both went silent, meditating.

Soon enough, the duo were in Force trances.


	49. Chapter 49

Anakin threw the chunk of building on top of Konohamaru off with the Force. The kid's scarf had been the only thing visible - if Anakin hadn't been there, the kid might've died.

As it was, the kid seemed to be sleeping. In a Force trance, just like Naruto.

Anakin had a feeling that if he didn't hurry, she'd run out of oxygen.

Master Yoda walked up beside him, and concentrated on the Force. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his Padawan's shoulder, strengthening him.

The giant pile moved.

Naruto looked quite small in the middle of the crater. Her face was a mess of blood and cuts, and like Konohamaru, she was in a Force trance.

Anakin picked her up.

Konohamaru had been successfully revived, and Anakin, while walking, gently woke her.

For a moment, she looked at him like he was unfamiliar to her; then she broke a smile and hugged him as best as she could.

"I love you!" Anakin snorted and set her down gently.

Naruto stared around her at the amount of Jedi Masters around them.

"So what's going on?"

Anakin stopped smiling.

"Ah. Yeah. About that."

Naruto listened, looking resigned.

"So, what, we're just going to march in there, half-cocked and with like _zero_ armor, lightsabers at the ready?" She looked at the amount of clones and shook her head. "No." She looked at Master Yoda. "No offense, Master Yoda, but sending them in there is a suicide mission."

"I tried telling him that," Anakin said. "But we don't have many Jedi, and we _do_ wear armor."

A smirk was slowly curling on Naruto's face.

"Hey, Itachi. Send a message to my mom, would you?"

Anakin looked around, seeing a dark-haired man appear out of nowhere leaning against a shuttle.

"Message is sent." The man's voice was smooth and low. "Master Yoda."

"Itachi." Yoda's voice wasn't hostile. "An interesting plan, this is. Help us, the Alterians might."

"Hold on," Anakin interjected. "We barely have a plan, and you already called for reinforcements? _That's_ going in half-cocked."

"No," Itachi refuted. "I am Uchiha Itachi, one of Alteria's... Former residents. My clan is adept at the Force, and I sensed a great evil shrouding this planet. If you wish to feel it, too - like your sister has, like her Padawan has, like the Masters have - then I can show you." He stepped forward, but Naruto coughed.

"Save your pissing contest for later, boys."

Anakin scowled and glared at his sister.

Naruto's tail flicked in annoyance. "That means you have to pack up those troopers."

"Easily done," Anakin waved his hand. "But Alderaan is thousands of light years away, and there is no way that the reinforcements will arrive in time."

Ships started settling. Naruto looked at Anakin with a patient smile on her face. Itachi had a little smirk on _his_ face that made Anakin's eye twitch angrily - and Itachi lost his smirk, assuming a grim expression.

A man with the same characteristics as Itachi came out of the first ship, looking annoyed as a brunette slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Itachi," the first man said, looking at Itachi, who shifted with a blank expression on his face. "How have you been?"

"I did not send that message to Kushina-sama to be interrogated, Grandfather."

Anakin's eyes widened, as he was sure Naruto's and Konohamaru's and most of the people in their vicinity did.

"Kushina-sama simply ordered us all to help the Jedi," the Alterian male said stonily.

"Oh, Madara. Ease up," the light-haired man said.

"Hashirama-sama," Itachi bowed. "Have you removed the stick out of my grandfather's ass?"

"I think it's still there." Hashirama winked. "And Kushina-sama just send a confirmation that she received the message. We got here quicker than I thought!"

"Enough, you ridiculous morons."

"Dr. Tsunade?" Naruto bounded over to Tsunade. "Who are these people?" She pointed to Madara and the man named Hashirama.

"My grandfather, Hashirama, and my step-grandfather, Madara." Tsunade looked around. "Jiraiya, you spineless worm, you're one of the best fighters the Jedi command, so stop pretending you're not here!"

Anakin wondered if Alterians were _all_ young-looking and good-looking.

"No," Itachi said, coming to stand by him. "Alterians like to stay out of the spotlight, and as a result of our deep connection to the Force, we are nearly immortal."

 _What a lonely thought,_ Anakin thought to himself. _Surviving when those around you die._

Itachi, to his credit, stayed silent if he'd heard Anakin's thoughts.

"Nii-san?"

A young man - Anakin's age, or even Naruto's age - stepped out of a ship.

"Otouto." Itachi walked to the younger man and poked his forehead, a slight smile on his face.

"Reunions and meetings can wait until _after_ we take care of this Sith problem," Tsunade said loudly, cutting in between everyone's chatting. "Grandmaster, Alteria is fully ready and equipped to take any possible Sith outsiders."

"Very well," Master Windu said. "We will send Uzumaki and Skywalker to give them an opportunity to surrender."

"And if they don't?" Anakin asked, Naruto's eyes widening as Windu didn't answer. He looked away.

"There are hard things in war," Itachi said, breaking the odd silence that had formed. "I will go with Uzumaki and Skywalker."

"No. You're not Alterian." The one Itachi had poked in the forehead stood forward defiantly. "I should command the exp -"

"For the love of the Force!" Naruto snapped, causing every Jedi in the area to look at her with slightly annoyed expressions. "I'm not a fragile little girl, okay?! I _am_ Alterian, _and_ a Jedi to boot. If there is _anyone_ in this camp, I am the person most capable right now of ignoring any temptations of the Sith!"

With that, the girl stalked off, leaving the camp.

Then she came back and took the white flag of truce, stalking back out and muttering under her breath with a scowl on her face.


	50. Chapter 50

Deidara slammed his head on a table. First time in forever he was off that damn base, and he was stuck in a huge looming castle on a planet in the middle of a warzone.

"Deidara." Sasori appeared. "One of the students will watch you, but you may go outside."

Deidara nodded. "Thanks, Sasori." It was an automatic response, but not the defiant meeting of the eyes and the storming past him.

Deidara could feel his shadow following him, and he twitched with irritation.

He exited the castle and stomped his way down the ravine.

"Will you stop following me?!" he snapped finally, turning around and searching the shadows.

A young man walked out, looking like a girl.

"I'm Haku."

Deidara scowled, then heard voices.

"- don't care if Madara sent you!"

"You _should._ I'm the heir to the Uchiha clan."

"Sasuke, shut up. Naruto, he just means he's the heir to a very powerful clan."

"Kushina is my mother, jackass. Don't _tell_ me who's powerful."

"Now, now, children, calm down."

"SHUT UP, KAKASHI!" three voices yelled.

"I'm just trying to help..."

Deidara walked towards the voices.

"Deidara-sama..." Haku warned.

"Oh, stop it, Haku," Deidara snapped. "That's my sister." He rounded the corner and promptly tripped on a younger female body that had a tail.

Looking up at the Jedi beneath him, she looked quite stunned.

"Sorry, Naruto," he apologized, holding his hand out.

"..." The Jedi took measured breaths, then looked at Deidara. "The room is spinning." She settled back against the rocky path. "I think I'll stay like this until the little duckies go away."

"Did you get a concussion?" one of his sister's friends asked.

"Possibly. I've been in a Force trance for a while to conserve what little oxygen I had after being buried inside a building that collapsed on top of me after being violently choked by a Sith that has a grudge with me."

"Yep, a concussion." The pinkette glanced at Deidara. "And did you say 'sister'?"

"It's complicated," Naruto said, holding out her hand for Deidara to take.

Deidara helped her up.

"It's not _that_ complicated. I was sold to Sasori, my darling littlest sister got taken and sold before me, and now we're not one big happy family because I don't even _know_ where my family comes from, un," Deidara said flatly. "What are you doing here, anyway? It's too dangerous."

His sister blinked for a moment.

"Well, I'm here to wave a flag of truce in the Sith presence's face."

"There is no Sith presence," Haku said, startling everyone but Naruto, who blinked at her.

"Okay, sorry to ask, but who _are_ you?" Deidara questioned the group.

"I'm Kakashi," the silver-haired older man said, seeming to smile. He had one eye and a mask covering the lower half of his face. "Their sensei."

"Mine and Sasuke's sensei," the pinkette said quickly. "Naruto is a Jedi, I'm Sakura, a medic Force-adept and this is Sasuke, heir to the Uchiha clan."

"I call him Duck-ass. Feel free to do the same," Naruto said cheerfully. "It's nice to know that you're not torturing anyone anymore."

"Not me, Sasori does that now that Karin's gone." Naruto made a face of 'yeah, that's probably true'. "He only trusts me to be their friend before they die."

"Sounds painful." Naruto and the group started moving to the castle. "Our mother wants to meet you. I found her a while back. Karin and Tayuya - our other sister - are home. On Alderaan."

"Alderaan." Deidara smiled. "I knew it. I've been getting flashes of memory lately."

"You're lucky." Naruto smiled at him. "I still can't really remember you or Mother. Or anyone."

Behind them, Deidara saw Sakura flinch from the corner of his eyes.

"Think it's natural?"

"No. I don't know." His sister looked confused for a moment. "So, you're a Sith?" Naruto asked Haku.

Haku smiled. "I am. Also, I'm a guy."

"I suspected," Naruto nodded as her friends gaped at Haku after his statement. "Your chest cinched it for me."

Haku chuckled. "I am Sith, yes. But not because I want to be."

Deidara's eyebrows flew up in surprise.

"I see." Naruto nodded, as though she really did see. "There's a place for you in the Jedi ranks, if you want to be a Jedi."

"That wouldn't really work out for me, either," confessed the boy. "I have an attachment here."

Naruto nodded again.

"Yep, I have attachments, too. I don't flaunt them, though."

Haku winced. "I'm... Underage, according to galactic law. Only sixteen. My... Lover, is ten years older than I."

Naruto stilled for a moment. "Oh. _That_ kind of attachment. Yeah... Alteria's the place to be, I think."

"We don't accept relationships like that, either," Sakura huffed. "I mean, if it's really important, we do. We like to wait until at least seventeen. Even then it's a case of 'do you think it's real'."

"Well, then we'll just run off to a distant part of the galaxy when this is all over," Haku said, his voice wintry.

"Sakura is dating someone," Naruto said, her face scowling. "At least you were when I came the first time."

"Neji and I were in a prearranged marriage. I simply fell in love with him like that."

"This is why I'm glad I'm with the Jedi," Naruto huffed. "I don't _have_ to worry about prearranged marriages like that."

"You wouldn't anyway," Sakura pointed out. "You're the youngest. Not really necessary for the family line. Deidara is the only one who would _have_ to procreate. No marriages were arranged for you Uzumakis, though." They continued in silence. "Why were all of you even taken, anyway? Half of Alteria is still wondering _that."_

"Probably because Naruto was so annoying, her own mother sold her," Sasuke sneered.

Naruto whipped around and slammed Sasuke on the ground. Deidara glared at Sasuke.

"You say _another word_ and I will tell the Jedi that the Sith got you, Uchiha," Naruto hissed. "I don't give a _damn_ what you say about _me._ Say anything about my parents or my friends, _I will kill you._ Are we clear?"

Sasuke swallowed, his eyes wide.

"Yes."

"Good!" Naruto released him, and walked a little ways ahead towards the castle.

"Looks like we got a welcoming committee." Naruto stopped Deidara. "Sasori's out there. You want to show him you're with us?"

"Fake a capture," Haku suggested. "They could probably sense us. But they probably don't know that we basically showed you the way."

Naruto nodded. "Okay. I have the truce flag." She took out a white flag.

"Doesn't the whole 'capture us' thing defeat the purpose, un?" Deidara frowned.

Naruto smiled. "Not really. It would make them listen easier."


	51. Chapter 51

Sasori couldn't help his worry. Deidara had been taken - Haku was supposed to protect him.

One of the large, bulky Sith looked a bit worried, too; Sasori privately wondered if the large male was worried for the other Sith that had been sent with his Deidara.

A white flag floated to the top, setting down harshly in a crack.

Then Deidara appeared, being held by a silver-haired male with one eye. He might have been a fine specimen, but he held Deidara.

Sasori readied his poison.

Then Deidara's sister came out, a pinkette behind her holding the Sith student's hair.

For a moment, they were silent.

Then Deidara's sister stepped forward, assuming a ready position.

"The Jedi are willing to negotiate with the head of this Sith Academy."

"You dare come here, holding a hostage?" questioned Darth Maul.

"Hi, Maul," Naruto beamed. "And yes. I do."

Her hand twitched, as if she was sensing that this wouldn't go well.

Maul stalked forward. "You will die."

"Come closer and the truce is over," Naruto said, her voice icy. She withdrew a whip, and Maul stilled. "I fling this up _once_ and the hundred Force-adepts that are here will come rushing up, and they're not quite picky who they kill when it comes to Sith. So either give up, or become a waste of space." Her eyes didn't mean it. They were full of sincere guilt that she was even _saying_ this.

Sasori glanced at Deidara. His face was full of faked panic.

"Deidara, quit pretending to be frightened." His icy voice was supposed to make Deidara listen.

"But I _am_ frightened, un!" Deidara called back, sounding amused (something only Sasori picked up behind the fake fright in his tone).

Sasori took out the vial of liquid Sith Poison.

"I think it's time to test this out." He smirked to himself, readying to throw it.

~:~

Anakin waited for the sign.

A flash of a whip.

"Time!" he called out.

The Jedi raced out.

~:~

Naruto flung her whip high in the air, racing forward to clash against Maul. Her lightsabers were on his hip, and she summoned them, curling her whip around her body as she did so. Turning her sabers on, she clashed with Maul violently.

She smirked at the dread that appeared in Maul's eyes.

"You Jedi will fail," he hissed at Naruto, who scoffed.

"We outnumber you, sweetheart," she said in a fake-nice tone. "Because it's not _just_ Jedi who have come to bring the pain."

Maul stared at her for a moment.

"The Alterians will turn on you."

"That's a worry for another day," Naruto growled, taking advantage of his distraction to knee him in his soft spot that most humanoid males had. Then she placed her hands on his temples again, taking his Force power away again.

This time, she made it to where he couldn't regain them.

Unlike last time, she didn't collapse in pain. Her mind seemed to automatically send it to Kurama; Naruto dearly hoped she wasn't powering Kurama up. If she was, it was unintentional.

Naruto moved on, fighting the other Zabrak that had nearly crushed her throat hours before, immobilizing him by cutting off a leg.

He said no words; Naruto stared at him stonily, then did the same thing to him as with Maul, her breath shortening in pain as it passed through her mind, clouding it for a moment. Then she let him go; if he regained his Force powers then she'd deal with that when it came to it.

Surveying the battlefield, Naruto knew she wasn't needed outside. Haku, a big guy, and a couple others were all sitting away from the battlefield, and Naruto walked over to them, deactivating her sabers.

"Where's Deidara?"

Haku pointed to the castle. "In there."

 _No Sasori, either._ Naruto walked into the castle. Aside from a few skirmishes here and there, the castle was empty.

Peeking into rooms, Naruto was kind of shocked to realize it was kind of like an Academy on Coruscant. Except there _were_ captives tied to poles, who had burns all over their bodies.

 _Force lightning damage,_ Naruto thought instantly, noting the acrid smell of ozone. She activated her lightsaber and cut one down.

It was a young Zabrak male with red eyes. Not evil eyes.

Naruto allowed her 'color sense' to appear, and she got the feeling that all these children were Light-oriented.

Freeing them, Naruto called Konohamaru.

 _Konohamaru, there are children in here. Injured by Force lightning - the pinkette named Sakura and the terrifying lady named Tsunade can help them, I think._

 _Alright, Master. We'll be there in a minute. Will you be waiting?_

 _No. I have to find Sasori and Deidara._ She could feel her Padawan's confusion. _An evil guy and my possible blood brother._

 _Ah. Okay. I'll leave you to that._

Naruto kept walking, keeping her 'color sense' on and waiting for Sasori to appear.

She kept walking, keeping her ears up and listening to every sound.

She stepped forward, a little annoyed that she couldn't sense them.

But then, this place was a center for evil.

"Okay, stop playing hide and seek."

She walked into a room.

 _Not here._

She shut the door.

She bit her lip.

 _There_ is _a way._

She took a deep breath and sat down in the hallway, closing her eyes and starting her meditation.

 _Brother, I will not lose you again._

Kurama opened her eyes.


	52. Chapter 52

Deidara glared at Sasori fiercely.

"Let. Me. Go," he hissed at the one he'd loved.

Sasori was sitting down at a desk, looking miserable.

"I didn't _want_ to think you'd remember," he told Deidara in a miserable voice. "Hundreds of times I reminded myself that their science was supposedly infallible."

"What are you talking about?" Deidara asked harshly.

"You, Karin, Tayuya and Naruto... All of you knew a certain Kaminoan scientist that did well with conditioning." Sasori didn't look at Deidara. "I was told you were taken from a world willingly but you... Were so angry."

Deidara stared at him, horror in his face.

"You watched your sisters forget everything they ever knew and taken elsewhere. Separated. I asked you if you wanted to forget, and disregarded your 'no'."

Deidara stood up.

"You..." Deidara had no words.

"You can blame your parents for what I did." Sasori laughed. "You were so distraught you _left to find your littlest sister_ with that Zygerrian. Blame your parents, your foolish sister for trusting that damn Zygerrian -"

Deidara hit him.

For a moment, Sasori stared at him, stunned. Deidara expected retaliation - but before Sasori could, Deidara hit him again.

White-hot rage flowed through Deidara, and he kept hitting Sasori.

" _She was three years old!"_

Another hit.

" _She didn't know any better!"_

Another flurry of blows.

Sasori slapped Deidara, Sasori's face a bloody mess.

"You should _thank me_ for keeping you alive, _child!"_

"Why should I have to be grateful?" Deidara snarled.

"Because _none of it was my fault!"_

~:~

Kurama wanted to fight. But she couldn't. Not yet. She had to conserve her strength.

History repeated, it seemed.

She could feel her siblings' minds, now that Naruto had fed her more power. They were aware, and some of them were content to stay within the bonds of their host minds.

Not Shukaku.

He wrestled with his host's mind, trying to take control.

 _Yes. Kurama would fight that._

Kurama found the two men that her host was looking for. The distinct scent of Sith Poison hung about the air.

Kurama's lip curled; using Sith poison on a non-Force adept caused the non-Force adept to go crazy.

And the rage sparked in the man that Kurama's host was searching for.

Kurama would let her host deal with his rage.

~:~

Naruto walked into the room, shoving Deidara off of Sasori before Deidara killed him.

Wrestling with the blond man, Naruto glared at Sasori, who looked positively bloody and very shocked that she'd come to his rescue.

" _Get out!"_ she snarled at him. Deidara flung her bodily backwards, causing her to see stars for a moment. It took her another moment to recall she was _not_ in space, and therefore she should _not_ be seeing stars. She pulled air into her lungs as Deidara pulled her up by her robes and started to punch her, over and over. She tried, at first, to stop him; weakly pushing at his face barely helped. She stopped fighting when he broke her nose.

When he paused, it was to yell in her face.

"Fight _back!"_

Naruto shook her head. "No," she croaked.

He yelled and punched her again.

Her face was a bloody mess.

"It's your fault, Sasori!"

"I'm not Sasori," Naruto gasped out. "I'm Naruto." She thought frantically of the past.

 _Nii-san..._

Her own childish voice came back to her, whispering 'big brother' in their native language.

"Don't _lie_ to me -"

"Nii-san," she said, aware of the blood pouring from her nose. Deidara paused, the maniacal look fading a bit from his eyes. "Nii-san, it's me, Naruto."

He faltered.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto," she said, standing as he backed up. "I'm your little sister. I don't remember what happened to us. But I do know that you are my nii-san." Her nose was beginning to pound.

Actually, her entire _face_ hurt. She stepped forward one more time and poked him in the cheek.

"Poke," she said.

That seemed to do the trick. He blinked, looking perfectly sane.

He recoiled at her face, and she grinned at him.

"I book terrible," she nodded, her _l'_ s turning to _b_ 's. "Can we go?"

"Am I going to go to jail?" Deidara asked her quietly.

"Probably - probably," she said again, twice. "You _did_ help Sasori."

"And the Separatists," Deidara said in a hushed voice.

"Yep, you're going to jail," she nodded, stemming the blood flow from her nose. "But if you could say you were under duress to both, we could lessen your sentence. Maybe."

She stumbled a little. Deidara steadied her.

"Seriously, what happened?"

"Dith poidon," she said, the blood flow blocking her ability to pronounce _s_ 's now.

Deidara looked at his hands, stricken.

"I think dat's both hid and my blood," she told him.

He swallowed. "Stop talking, you'll only hurt yourself."

Naruto nodded. "Kay."


	53. Chapter 53

Itachi took in Naruto's form in the medical tent.

When she walked out there was only a single scar from the building on her face, faint pink healing lines the only evidence of her brother's poisoned mind being taken out on her.

"Is he all right?"

Naruto looked at him. "Deidara? He should be fine."

Itachi nodded. "Good. The Jedi are leaving, if you're joining them."

He waited. She hesitated.

"Yeah, I should go make sure they don't stick Deidara with the rest of the criminals." She stood there for another few seconds. "Well, bye."

Itachi caught her wrist as she walked by quickly, spinning her against his ship and giving her a kiss.

When he ended it, her eyes were wide and shocked.

"What - why did you do that?"

"I felt like it," he replied, touching her new scar. "I'll be coming by my apartment on Coruscant soon. I would like to talk to you. Alone."

"Okay," she replied, staring at him for a few minutes.

"Also, your droid was sold and found."

"What?!" she gasped.

Spark came down the ramp, beeping and hurrying to Naruto. Itachi let her move, and she tucked her hair behind her ear and knelt next to Spark.

"Hey, little guy. What's up?"

Spark projected plans - not of a Separatist ship.

Itachi and Naruto looked at each other, shocked.

"You and I are going to get these plans to Coruscant," Itachi said.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. We are. Spark, we're taking his ship."

Spark beeped happily, and slid up the ramp again.

"Shall we?" Itachi asked her with a smirk on his face.

She rolled her eyes, stepping onto the ship.

"You know, if you went into battle with skin showing, you would definitely catch people off guard."

Naruto blinked. "I do show skin."

Itachi shook his head, then waved her onto his ship.

"K, begin startup sequence and plug in Coruscant's coordinates," he ordered. "And what I mean is like Master Secura, among some of the masters. Like Anora."

"You know Anora?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.

"Heard of her," Itachi corrected. "Her and Master Forinth have definitely made a name for themselves. As have you."

Naruto scoffed and looked away. "No, I haven't. None of the Separatist Generals have heard of me."

"Trust me, you and your brother Anakin have _definitely_ made names for yourselves," Itachi said to her, his onyx eyes meeting hers.

Naruto could feel a blush coming up and averted her eyes. "So is this the same ship as last time?"

"No. This was given to me by the Black Sun." Itachi spat the name out.

"Is that how you knew about -" Naruto paused and took a deep breath. "Jango's death?"

"Yes." Itachi's quiet admission was honest.

Naruto nodded. "I see." The stinging of her eyes made her turn away from him. "How long will we be stuck here?"

"Two standard days," Itachi answered, moving up along the small hallway in the ship. "I do have female partners, so just take whatever you feel comfortable with in this room. Also, while you're on my ship, it will be your room." He tapped a door.

Naruto nodded. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," Itachi replied quietly.

~:~

Naruto eyed the clothes. There was a lot her size, clothes that were made for tailed humanoids.

Ignoring the similarities, Naruto slipped on clothes with a color scheme of blue, red and brown, baring her midriff and barely protecting her arms. Her boots that Jango had made for her were with her, though she knew she'd have to get new boots soon. These ones were getting a little worn.

When she was finished, she exited her room to see Itachi wearing black and blue, his hair in a low ponytail as usual. A vibroblade was clipped to his belt.

"You should let your hair grow out." Itachi didn't look up at her.

"It's growing faster than it did before," Naruto confessed.

"Why did you cut it?" he asked, sitting down at a table.

Naruto looked down at the table as she sat down at it.

"I felt guilty, and my secrets were beginning to overwhelm me," Naruto replied in a whisper. Never mind the fact that she still had Itachi's love confession to think about, and she was trying to focus on her career as a Jedi and teaching Konohamaru as well as raising Boba. "So I cut my hair." Mostly as a symbol. But either way.

"You still have many secrets," Itachi noted.

"Yes," Naruto agreed. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Itachi sighed.

"I was going to ask you if I could be your mentor in the upcoming Trials." Itachi's eyes met hers for a second. "It's a test of brains, survival, and one-on-one matches."

"If my mother wants me back within two weeks, what are the two weeks for?" Naruto asked.

Itachi winced. "Well... You actually have to pass the first Trial - the Genin trial. Once you pass that, _then_ you go onto your second Trial, the Chuunin Trials."

Naruto blinked at him.

"That sounds _really_ stupid," Naruto said flatly.

"It's why nobody ever _goes_ to Alteria," Itachi responded with a sigh. "Alteria, for all its technological advances, is really just a village full of ancient and ridiculous customs. However, I _did_ finish my Trials at thirteen."

"What do you get? A prize?" Naruto was being sarcastic.

"The right to wear your home village's symbol," Itachi said solemnly. "And if you have animal characteristics, then you get pierced through your extra ears."

Naruto felt her own ears flatten.

Itachi smiled. "Your mother has them, though she uses Force Cloaking to hide them on occasion."

"Okay, is that like a real Force move? I mean, in the Archives, I got visions of moves that I've used, but that was mostly the Force guiding me." Naruto frowned a little.

Itachi's eyes lit up a bit. "Yes, of course it's a real Force move." He stood and vanished.

Naruto could still feel his signature, but that too faded.

"Oh, that is so cool."

"Isn't it?" Itachi asked, right behind her.

A shriek exited Naruto's mouth as she jumped violently, flailing around.

Itachi de-cloaked and chuckled as she finally tripped over the table and fell on the ground.

"Don't - _do that!"_ Naruto told him breathlessly.

Itachi shook his head. "Your reaction was priceless."

"Yeah, whatever," Naruto huffed, getting up.

"Itachi, I am afraid Naruto is getting a call from the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi." K-45's voice sounded over the intercom. "And you are getting a call from Xizor."

"You work for him, still?" Naruto's adrenaline left her at that name.

"You have no idea how much I hate it," Itachi told her, grimacing. "I was blackmailed into doing it."

"What?" Naruto was outraged. "What did he blackmail you with?"

Itachi looked away. "It does not matter. I am working my way up through the Black Sun, and if Xizor thinks I am being loyal, I can dismantle it from the inside. Eventually. But seeing as I was sort of caught doing what you asked, I know it set my progress back. A lot."

Naruto winced. "I'm sorry." She scratched the back of her head. "I guess I should take Obi-Wan's call."

"And me Xizor's," Itachi nodded.

For a moment, there was nothing but awkward silence; then they hurried off, Naruto to Spark and Itachi to K-45.


	54. Chapter 54

"Has my mother agreed to this?" Naruto asked Obi-Wan. "I mean, I'm all for helping protect the leader of Mandalore, but I'm not sure about _that."_

"Duchess Satine has, reluctantly, agreed to this; it was your mother's idea and Senator Organa is allowing this operation. The chancellor has also agreed to allow you to impersonate a Senator."

"Okay. This should be easy." Naruto was nervous; any plan that the Chancellor approved of was bound to be... Dangerous, to say the least. She didn't trust him. "Master, I do have to tell you something, though."

"What is it?" Obi-Wan, at least, was willing to listen to her.

"Deidara has been working on a new type of starfighter... For us, the Republic." Naruto looked hopefully at the master. "Will you speak to Master Yoda?"

"Of course," Obi-Wan said. "Can you transmit the plans?"

"No," Naruto shook her head. "It's risky enough telling you that the plans _exist,_ especially in this type of communication."

"I see," Obi-Wan nodded. "I shall speak to Master Yoda; in the meantime, you get to these coordinates." He sent a set of coordinates. "The Separatists might be planning something with the Death Watch."

"Jango and I took out the Death Watch leader, though, to protect Duchess Satine," Naruto frowned.

"When was this?" Obi-Wan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "When I was Master Qui-Gon's apprentice, I was gone for a day or two longer than I thought? Brought back truffles? I mean, that was before I found the gloriousness that was ramen, so..." Naruto practically salivated at the thought of the food from her homeland.

Obi-Wan facepalmed. "I'll send a message for Anakin to come, as well."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, Master. I'll see you there."

~:~

Itachi listened to Xizor's orders, and chose the only one on the list with a smaller bounty, and one he knew was a Republic traitor.

After he was done, he exited the room, Naruto looking worried.

"Okay, I changed our destination because I have to meet a master on a ship that's headed to Mandalore," she hurriedly told him. "I'm sorry, but K-45 was eager to help after listening in... And I also kind of need something that looks Senator-ish. Elaborate. _Stupid_ elaborate."

Itachi blinked at her.

"I have a mission on board a Senatorial vessel," he said smoothly. "You're lucky I do actually have clothes for this occasion."

~:~

Naruto tilted her head at K-45.

"I have often heard the term Itachi is like a girl in regards to his dressing," K-45 said flatly, "but you do not take nearly as much time as Itachi does when dressing for a part."

Spark beeped his agreement.

"I don't take that long because I've had to dress in smaller clothes than this." Vividly recalling one of hers and Qui-Gon's adventures that had dealt with a Twi'leki space tour group that one Twi'lek had uncovered a slaving conspiracy with, Naruto recalled that Qui-Gon had been forced to dress as a girl and had been forced to shave his beard. Also, fake chest.

Naruto had mentally despaired at the members of the other races that were so drunk they couldn't tell a fake chest from a real one.

(Naruto conveniently always forgot that _she_ had had to wear heels and a fake chest. At least she had the _face_ for a girl.)

In the end it turned out it was a set up by the Hutts. Either way, the Jedi had gained a small portion of the credits the tour group got, Qui-Gon was allowed to grow his beard out again, and Naruto was left with painful memories of her mentor pretending to be a girl.

Now, Itachi - she was sure that Itachi could pull off a female Senator look if he wanted to. Let his hair down and it would be fine.

She let out a snicker, unable to help it.

"Why are you laughing?" K-45 asked. If he could frown, Naruto was certain K-45 _would_ be frowning.

"Itachi, Itachi, let down your hair!" she replied... Then bursting into giggles again at the thought of Itachi being Rapunzel, a woman in a children's tale that she'd read upon Qui-Gon's recommendation at the beginning of her being his Padawan. "It's a fairytale about a human woman with magic hair," she told K-45 with a grin still on her face. "Look it up on the HoloNet."

"That I shall do," K-45 responded. Spark snorted, telling K-45 he had _all-access_ to the HoloNet and therefore knew more than K-45.

K-45 hit his top.

Naruto was currently dressed in robes that were nothing like her Jedi ones. They were Alterian formal clothes, according to Itachi, and would serve her well. Her hair was artfully messy.

Itachi appeared, still in blue and black - but with the addition of a small headpiece that had a leaf symbol on it.

"Wear this," he said, handing her an orange and blue headpiece with the same headpiece. "It grants authenticity. Also, put a Force Illusion over your ears and tail."

Naruto looked down. "I don't know how to do anything like that without covering my entire body," she admitted, kind of embarrassed.

"It's easy." She hated how his voice sounded so understanding. "Just think of your tail and ears being invisible."

Naruto thought. Hard. Using the Force, she felt a cool feeling press over her ears and tail.

"Good. You got it."

Naruto smiled as she looked in a mirror and didn't see them.

"We're docking," K-45 said. "I request that you two do not do anything idiotic. I would rather not be stuck with this moron for the rest of my life." The droid kicked Spark.

Naruto snorted. "Got a little more personality since last time."

"Itachi erases my databanks occasionally while keeping them on a personal data drive." K-45 turned to stare at Naruto. "I would indeed think I have retained _some_ of the personality I have from being around Itachi for as many years as I have."

Naruto smiled. "I'm glad. I think."

"Making friends, K-45?" Itachi asked the droid.

K-45 stared at Itachi for a moment. "We're docked." He turned, completely ignoring Itachi's question. The two moved to the end of the ramp.

"I'm your personal guard," Itachi said, standing on the ramp. "You know Anakin and Obi-Wan personally because -"

"I know my own backstory," Naruto hissed with a smile on her face, waiting for Obi-Wan. "I'm Senator Naruko. Believe it or not, I've actually impersonated a Senator before. A Coruscanti Senator, but a Senator nonetheless."

The door opened.

Anakin's greeting died in his throat; he looked half-impressed, half-horrified.

"Master Jedi," Naruto said, smiling a polite, reserved smile. "Forgive us for being late. You have my deepest apologies."

"No problem," Anakin replied, smiling a little. "Senator, the Duchess wishes to greet you personally to thank you for your aid."

"Very well, Master Jedi. Please lead on."


	55. Chapter 55

Itachi was... Shocked, understandably.

From what he'd gathered on the Jedi Order - and the whispers on Naruto in particular (not that he was searching for whispers on her), as well as having experienced that life for himself - the Jedi were reserved and rarely got into conflicts.

However, he knew _that_ was false, so when he'd heard that they were a cult of brutish warriors based on a battle that Naruto _happened_ to be apart of before the Clone Wars officially started, Itachi had _nearly_ laughed out loud.

Conflicting accounts had been heard; one time Itachi heard about a border fiasco on Rodia. Upon entering Rodia's capital city, there was no evidence of the supposed riots that had taken place.

Entering the government building had been a piece of cake, what with there being no guards.

Recalling the nightmare he'd walked into, he suppressed a smirk and continued walking behind the young woman he never would have guess would be so elegant.

~:~

Anakin honestly wanted to get Naruto _away_ from the other men in the room. Including the Force-sensitive man behind her.

But he refrained.

He knew Naruto could take whatever thrown at her.

He thought of their first meeting.

" _Ani, this is our new master." Shmi Skywalker looked a bit strained. Being a mother and a slave didn't really work sometimes - but maybe this master would be kind to them?_

 _The seven-year-old peeked around his mother's legs to see a Toydarian counting credits. The Toydarian looked up._

 _He shouted something to the back, and a girl no older than six appeared, her face grimy and dirty. An expression of shock crossed her face before the Toydarian barked something at her._

 _Shmi's face tightened; the girl walked over to them._

" _Watto says he'll let you live with the kid at my place, and that he only expects the kid to come in," she told them in a rather bored voice. She spoke excellent Basic. Anakin could barely understand Toydarian when he wasn't paying much attention._

" _This is Anakin," Shmi introduced._

" _Naruto," the girl said, indicating herself. "Come on. Watto's letting me show you around."_

" _It's just sand," Anakin said, unimpressed._

" _Yeah, but you'll need to know the market people. Watto only allots a certain amount of credits each month." She kicked the dirt. "Watto just got a big haul in, which is why we're slaves to him. We're lucky. Most masters aren't so kind."_

" _Is Watto kind to you?" Shmi asked Naruto._

 _Naruto shrugged. "Kind enough."_

Anakin blinked away the memory as Naruto greeted the Duchess, who Obi-Wan was staring at. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Duchess. I do not know you personally. I am Senator Naruko of Alteria; the chosen Senator from my people who live on Alderaan."

Naruto bowed, her movements fluid.

"I have heard of the Alterians recently becoming completely separate from Alderaan, despite the fact they live on Alderaan. Tell me, Senator, your views."

Naruto paused. "My views, my lady, is that all lives are precious. I did not grow up in Alteria myself, my lady, and I have seen the despicable acts of the Separatists. The Alterians only engage in conflict because we have a duty to Alderaan for becoming our home, and we chose to fight for the people." Satine's face was blank.

"Did your family die?" Satine questioned.

Naruto chuckled smoothly. "No, my good lady. I was sold into slavery after being kidnapped. My purpose in this universe is to protect this people. I will use any resource I have to do so."

Satine smiled. "I see." She stood. "Is there a reason you chose politics, Senator?"

"The reason I chose politics is because I hate politics," Naruto said bluntly. "I prefer honesty over lies. Unfortunately, sometimes a lie is the best thing to say."

"Diplomatic," Satine nodded. "I look forward to speaking with you more."

"I look forward to future conversations with you, Duchess," Naruto replied with another bow.

"Take a drink." Satine waved her hand.

Naruto smiled. "I am afraid I must refuse. Alcohol does not agree with me."

"Allergic?" questioned the Duchess, seemingly out of curiosity.

"I am not sure," Naruto replied with a small chuckle. "I do not remember what happened the last time I had alcohol."

Anakin's comm pinged.

"Excuse me," he said to the sudden stares, swiftly leaving.

~:~

Naruto had never really felt _this_ out of her element before. Softly laughing? Sure. Pretending to be a grace-filled Senator with little to be wary of? No. She'd always played the part of the warrior, not the delicate little waif who wore fancy clothes.

 _Space is cold._

She shivered, the cold piercing her thin fabrics.

"Are you alright, Senator?" Orn Free Ta said.

Naruto put a smile on her face. "I am simply chilled."

Itachi approached with a cape, bowing as he approached her. "My lady, I was beginning to worry that you had gotten frostbite."

 _He was laughing at her._

"Of course not," she said as the cloak settled around her shoulders. "Thank you, Izuna." It was best not to speak each other's' real names.

Itachi smiled at her. "Anything for you, Senator Naruko."

Her smile strained as her left eye twitched. Obi-Wan hid a smirk.

"Naruko." The duchess eyed her. "Do you know any bounty hunters named such?"

Naruto smiled at the duchess. "Yes, in fact. She was my beloved twin." Naruto saw Obi-Wan blink and look at her. "She spoke of you with fondness, Duchess. However, she died with her partner, Jango Fett."

The Duchess nodded in acknowledgment. "I see. Thank you for telling me."

Naruto nodded. She saw no reason to lie to the Duchess.

~:~

Itachi was interested indeed.

Naruto had helped Fett take out Kre Vizsla? That meant that Jango Fett had held a deep regard for Mandalore.

"Jango Fett was nothing but bounty hunter scum." The Kalevala Senator, Tal Merrick, looked repulsed by Naruto's statement. "He did not deserve to wear the Mandalore armor." Satine looked at Merrick questioningly - and Naruto responded to his accusation quietly.

"Jango Fett deserved to wear the armor more than anyone in this entire galaxy." Naruto's eyes lifted up to meet Merrick's. "He was the _Mand'alor."_

"Leader of a bunch of scum on Concord Dawn in his prime. All of them traitors to -"

Naruto stood up, stopping Merrick in his tracks.

"Forgive me, Duchess. But Jango Fett saved my live several times, and I will not listen to this." Her voice remained steady. "He saved my sister's life as many, or more, times than he saved mine."

She walked away, going into the side room.

All eyes turned to Itachi questioningly.

He shrugged, as if helpless. "I do not know many details of my lady's private life," he explained.

~:~

To hear Naruto in such defense of Jango Fett made Obi-Wan again remember that Naruto had been hit _hard_ by Fett's death, even going so far as to adopt the child.

The Jedi Council knew, of course; but Master Yoda simply hummed whenever Naruto's transgressions were brought up, Mace Windu just got that disapproving look... It was different with each of the masters. Plo Koon and Shaak Tii were both seemingly amused by her actions, and Tir Forinth was openly _supportive_ of their actions.

The first refreshments cleared away, Obi-Wan spotted Naruto and Satine speaking together quietly. Spotting Itachi, Obi-Wan walked over to him.

Itachi saw him coming and the slight amusement at Naruto (which could only be seen by those who had trained with Itachi before, which Obi-Wan had when Itachi was younger and still at the Temple) vanished, leaving a guarded mask.

Obi-Wan was not a fool.

He knew of Itachi's activities; despite Itachi erasing himself from his former master's memories (Yoda's memories), Obi-Wan still knew him.

"Master Jedi," Itachi acknowledged tersely.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to talk, but his wrist comm sounded.

He turned to listen.

"There are three assassin droids here," Anakin's voice hissed. "Someone _really_ wants the Duchess dead."

"That's clear," Obi-Wan said flatly. "We just need to get to Mandalore and then we can find out the plot. Who is doing this, and why?"

"Probably the Separatists," Itachi said, startling Obi-Wan. "I have heard a lot of rumors in my circles. Plus the bounty on her head is 15 million credits alive, 14 mil dead. Kakuzu would've collected on it first. I'll go through my contacts to see who's trying to cash in on her head."

"What about you?"

Itachi shook his head. "My target's Tal Merrick. He has ties to the Separatists, but my employer wants him to go away because he poses a problem." Obi-Wan noted the way the Alterian's lip curled the way he said 'my employer'.

"What does your employer want?"

Itachi winced, looking in actual pain for a moment.

"Can't say," he finally said. "An implant. Adopted from Danzou."

"And who's that?"

Itachi frowned. "You Jedi have _no_ idea why that Sith Academy was on Lokori, do you?"

"No, we didn't think it was important," Obi-Wan frowned. "Just that the Sith Academy being there was enough."

"Next time, do your research." Itachi actually looked annoyed. "Danzou. He's Alterian."

"Apparently everyone is these days." Obi-Wan frowned. "What are the odds of finding the Chosen One and an Alterian child in the same vicinity of each other?"

"Small to none," Itachi rattled off. "In fact, there was a high probability that the Chosen One would destroy the Alterian nation. That probability alone was why I became a Grey Force user."

"The Alterians calculated probabilities?"

"We live through the ways of the Force and probabilities of the future," Itachi replied. "Obviously most of the possibilities were prevented through Naruto meeting Skywalker and having a sibling-like relationship with him." He paused. "There were several diverging possibilities. Like the Force was waiting on her."

"Waiting on her to make a decision?" questioned Obi-Wan quietly, frowning.

"Indeed," Itachi nodded. "The Force has done this before." Itachi shook his head. "I cannot tell you more. It is forbidden for me to tell an outsider. Skywalker is considered family, but until Naruto completes the Trials, I am afraid I can say nothing more. Suffice it to say that you should make it Naruto's mission to look into Danzou when I take her to Alteria."

"Which is?"

"In a week," Itachi told Obi-Wan. "I was originally going to take her earlier, but the Trials got set back, what with the Sith Academy being on Lokori and backup being needed. I also need to finish up this job and get back to Coruscant. You can take Naruto to Coruscant and I'll take her from her apartment."

"I'm fine with that," Obi-Wan nodded. "But you better make it from the Temple. The Council wishes to speak with her and Anakin."

Itachi nodded.

"Very well."


	56. Chapter 56

Naruto tipped her drink at Onaconda Farr. "Thank you for telling me," she said in a low voice.

The Rodian laughed nervously. Naruto had the feeling he was always rather nervous.

"Anything for you," he promised, bowing his head.

Naruto smiled, tipped her head, and walked to the table in deep thought.

"Credit for a thought?"

Tal Merrick stood there with a sleazy smile.

"Simply thinking about a few personal matters, Senator Merrick."

The doors opened, and an assassin droid appeared.

Itachi sprang into action, stunning most of the Senators. Using the force with one hand, he activated a shoto saber. Naruto gaped, stunned, as he used the Force to hold the assassin droid aloft, then cut it in half.

A few shots with a deactivator he had on his person later, and all of the mini assassin droids were dead.

"Someone really wants someone in this room dead," Itachi said out loud. "My lady, forgive me. You have every right to punish me for using the Force -"

"Enough, Izuna." Naruto sighed. "Most of my people are Force-sensitive. No, we are not all Jedi," she added at the Duchess' frown. "Believe me, there are plenty of non-Jedi Force sensitive creatures out there. Izuna, would you - _what in the name of all that is holy are you doing?!"_

Itachi picked up one of the assassin droids.

"Get Skywalker up here," Itachi told Obi-Wan, holding the struggling droid. Obi-Wan tried, but shook his head.

"Anakin's hunting down another of the bigger assassin droids."

Itachi glanced at the small droid, then started to walk around the table.

The small droid showed a ton of hostility around Naruto and the Duchess; whoever programmed it also had the thought to program it to attack the Jedi Knight, which was odd - knowing that Naruto was going to be there when in fact the job was given on their way back...

Naruto looked at the Duchess as Itachi paused.

"Duchess, where were you coming from?"

"Kalevara," Satine replied with a minute frown. "Why?"

Itachi moved over to Merrick, who brought out a blaster and trained it on the Duchess.

Everyone froze.

"Too smart for your own good." He raised his communication device.

"Don't say a word."

Naruto found herself shocked she'd spoken, and Merrick turned to her, quickly switching targets.

"Oh?" Merrick laughed. "And what will you do about it?"

"I'll probably die," Naruto said as cheerfully as she could muster. "There are, currently, three Force-adepts in this room, five guards, and an assassin droid. And then there's you. A single, non-Force-sensitive piece of slime that wants to get the credit - pardon the pun, Duchess - for the Duchess' life. Or my life." Naruto shrugged. "Let me guess. Black Sun or Separatists?" She watched his face carefully, noting how his finger twitched. "Separatists it is. You don't care if either one of us is dead or alive; but you'll only get off one blast before you're dead. So who's it going to be? Me, who probably has a higher bounty for being dead, or Duchess Satine, who has a lower bounty for being dead?"

"This isn't about the _credits,_ " Merrick sneered. "Kalevara will be a Separatist planet. I will see to that."

"I don't think you'll live past tonight," Naruto said, standing slowly. "Not if you continue this course of action. Think _any_ of the Separatists will allow you to keep control of Kalevara?"

Merrick frowned. "You said there were three Force-sensitives in the room?"

Naruto smiled.

"Yeah. Forgot to say. Surprise!" she faked a smile, using the Force with a sharp gesture to make the blaster get yanked out of his hand. A sharp pain made itself known on her shoulder, indicating she'd been shot.

Taking the pain, Naruto threw herself on the disgraced Senator's back, her claws coming out and sinking into his shoulders through his clothes. Using her empathic ability, Naruto shoved her exhaustion down into the Senator.

He dropped like a stone. Naruto got off of him after removing her claws, making a face as she did so.

"Obi-Wan, is there a glass of alcohol nobody's drinking?"

As she washed her nails in the refreshments, Naruto listened to the sounds of surprised muttering and Orn Free Ta's retching.

She turned to the group, discreetly throwing the bloody alcohol into a plant.

"So," she said to the room at large. "I'm pretty sure that an explanation is in order."

~:~

Having been on Mandalore before, Naruto was pleasantly surprised to see that the Duchess really had changed things.

So, when she asked the Duchess her next question, she wasn't expecting the reaction.

"So, have any problems with Death Watch lately?"

Duchess Satine froze. "You can help," she breathed, turning to her.

Naruto tilted her head. "With what?"

Prime Minister Almec approached. "Death Watch has been increasing its activity. However, our planet's youth has been getting involved. Perhaps if a Jedi who knew our culture came... No, no Mandalorians have been recruited by the Jedi. It's a silly idea."

"Actually," Naruto cleared her throat. "I was adopted by a Concord Dawn native."

She didn't mention that he was drunk, and fighting two other Mandalorians.

"I see." He stroked his chin. "Do you know the native language of Mandalore?"

"I don't see how that's relevant," Satine frowned.

" _Cuy ogir'olar,"_ Naruto said fluidly, causing the duchess and prime minister to glance at her. She had simply said what the Duchess had, but in Mando'a. _That's irrelevant._ "While Anakin is investigating with Obi-Wan, I would appreciate something to do, Duchess. Whether or not it's important to the society."

~:~

"...and that's how I escaped the jail from Hosnian Prime."

The students were all staring at her with shock.

"You escaped by being _annoying?"_ one of the students asked blankly.

"It was harder than it sounds," Naruto pouted. "The Hosnian Prime government _hates_ Jedi, so I had to be _extra_ extra annoying. It was difficult, but I obviously got out. A friend of mine happened to be cashing in on a bounty, and she got me offplanet. To keep from an intergalactic incident, I apologized to the Senator and wasn't allowed off Coruscant for three weeks." Naruto shrugged. "I was then kidnapped by another bounty hunter friend, and he took me for drinks on Coruscant."

"Do you routinely get kidnapped?" asked another.

"I used to," Naruto nodded. "But technically I went with him willingly."

"Uh... Sorry to interrupt, Master Jedi, but we're supposed to be talking about Rodia," one of the students said awkwardly.

"Oh. Right. Rodia." Naruto thought. "It has big buildings."

She got blank stares in return.

~:~

Korkie Kryze stayed after the class was over.

"Excuse me, Master Jedi," he said, frowning a little. "What is your opinion on power?"

Korkie's friends paused at the doorway, both to wait for Korkie and to wait for their current teacher's words.

The Jedi hummed and frowned. "I believe in a lot of cases that power corrupts, and that absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"Does that mean that you are corrupt, Master Jedi?"

The Jedi chuckled. "I think I have a bad habit of accepting gifts and using my power, under certain circumstances, to sway others. I would not say I have been corrupted by my power. Not like I'm a real Jedi Master."

"I thought you were," Korkie said, surprised.

"Nope," the Jedi said, setting down the personal pad down. "I'm just a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi Master, and the Grandmaster is Master Yoda. None of the Jedi have absolute power, though; the Jedi have their ranks - from Youngling to Padawan to Jedi Knight to Master - and there is a Council."

"Don't you answer to the Galactic Senate?" questioned the nephew of the duchess, who got a smile in return.

"Yes, and out of the entire Senate, who has absolute power?" questioned the Jedi. Korkie's eyes widened, and his voice lowered. "Did you - are you accusing the Chancellor?"

The Jedi looked for a moment like she was angry, but not at Korkie. "Unfortunately nobody cares to listen to me. But yes, that does mean what you are thinking. Why do you ask me about my thoughts on power?"

"I..." Korkie hesitated.

"Let's go get something to eat," suggested the Knight. "I'm hungry and I don't think I can wait another standard hour before I pass out."

~:~

The group walked through the hallway to the mess hall, which garnered some attention.

The food was distributed, a little more than was strictly allowed to the Jedi for the differences in biology; Naruto explained that she expanded more energy to keep herself from getting frostbite on this planet, despite the fact it was actually a hot day on Mandalore.

The Jedi ate, answering the questions Amis, one of Korkie's friends, was asking.

Then she drank some of the tea, then stopped, looking in the tea.

"Stop!" Her shout stopped Amis from drinking the tea. "The tea's been poisoned." Her statement carried over the silent mess hall. The Jedi looked uncomfortable at the attention before she started to cough - just like all of the kids before her.

~:~

"She drank a relatively small dose of it, which ordinarily wouldn't have adversely affected her," the doctor said to Korkie, who was very concerned about the Jedi. "But, as her biology is very different and her metabolism works very fast, the poison worked through her system faster."

Korkie entered the room with a bundle of flowers.

The Jedi, who was in the process of climbing out the window, turned to see them.

"Oh." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I left a note."

A message - BILL THE JEDI ORDER, OR ITACHI UCHIHA - was on the table in Basic.

The doctor facepalmed. "Damn Alterians."

"I brought you flowers, miss," Korkie said.

The Jedi smiled and accepted them.

"That's sweet," she smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem," Korkie said as the doctor took the note and left. "Look, we need your help. We were just attacked when we went to see my aunt."

"Okay," she nodded. "Wha - whoa!" She slipped as she went to come back in, her hand pulling her up, to Korkie's surprise. Her strength must have been enormous. "Okay. Not doing that again." The Jedi looked at them seriously. "Okay. For this to work, communication is key, so... _What are you even looking into?"_

"Well, according to this, the reason we've gotten half the rations we normally do is because the shipments are bringing in less," Korkie responded. He looked to the door. "Shoniee found that out. We want to go to the warehouse district, but my aunt's name only goes so far."

"Hmm, I see," Naruto nodded. "And you think I will do better?"

They looked at each other. "Well, you _are_ a Jedi," Korkie said. "You're kind of short, wouldn't look like much of a threat."

A smile came over her face. "Please don't call me short."

There was something kind of chilling about that smile.

Korkie mentally noted that he definitely should not piss her off.


	57. Chapter 57

Tal Merrick was annoying. He kept _talking._

Itachi finally had enough.

"You're a _Jedi,_ so you'll just hand me over to the Senate, unharmed. I'll get out. I'll get my revenge -"

He choked.

Itachi's eyes were red and looked like the shuriken weapons of his homeland as he Force-choked the former Senator.

"If you don't shut up," he said to him clearly. "I will kill you myself."

Tal Merrick shut up.

"K-45, please send in some sake."

Naruto's astromech wheeled in, reminding Itachi he needed to get those plans to the Jedi.

He sighed and rubbed his temples.

~:~

Deidara stared at the little green Jedi who entered his cell.

"Want out, do you?"

Deidara cautiously nodded.

"Work for the Republic, will you?"

Deidara nodded again. "Sure, un."

"Paid, you will be."

Deidara was surprised. "And if I help end this war, un?"

"You will be free, after this war ends." The little green guy smiled, and he started to walk out. For a minute, Deidara waited, then cautiously followed.

He kept his hands in front of him.

A small group of people waited for him.

"Deidara?" the true redhead of the small group asked.

"Who's asking, un?"

The redhead pushed her glasses up. "I'm Karin, your sister. Naruto sent me a message."

Deidara waited for the cuffs to get off of his wrists before walking over to Karin.

"Who're the midgets?"

The boy with the long blue scarf puffed up angrily. "I'm not a midget! I'm average for my age! I'm eleven!"

"I'm ten!" added the other midget.

"Yeah, to me you're midgets," Deidara scoffed. He looked at the other girl. "Who're you?"

"Tayuya," Tayuya grunted. "Master Yoda." She bowed at the Jedi Grandmaster. "I have to go take this midget to the Academy." She indicated the other kid. The boy with the scarf stuck his tongue out at the other brat.

Deidara felt himself smiling at the image.

"Ready to go to our apartment?" Tayuya asked impatiently.

"Yes." Deidara was ready.

~:~

In Alteria, Minato was smiling genially at Danzou.

"I wouldn't do a thing if I were you," he said to Danzou, still smiling. The Force-sensitve ancient-looking old fart glared at Minato.

"You're not even Alterian. This matter does not concern you."

"It does," he smiled. "Because you had my children kidnapped. And I happen to not give a damn about how you're an 'honored Elder'." Minato's eyes opened, and Danzou was paralyzed. Minato's eyes were ice cold, and adding the genial smile... Well, Danzou inwardly panicked. "I hope you'll understand that Kushina has pleaded her case with the rest of the Kage, and that they're going to war."

"A civil war will rip Alteria apart," Danzou responded, but swallowed upon hearing the light chuckle that came from the ex-Clawdite.

"I wasn't talking about one with you," Minato replied. "After all, there's one species that's pissed off my beloved wife enough times. Guess which one?"

The blood leached from Danzou's face.

The Zygerrians.

 _They were going to interstellar war._

"IS KUSHINA INSANE?! WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAR SHIPS!"

Minato kept smiling. "Perhaps," he acknowledged. "But then, Kushina knows what she's doing."

Minato turned and walked out, not heeding the Elder's rants behind him.

Minato left, still smiling. His blue eyes were ice cold, stopping any of Danzou's slaves from coming after him.

Danzou would, of course, pay for his crimes. But the Zygerrians would have to pay for stealing the children.

The elevator closed.


	58. Chapter 58

The Senate was, for once, silent. For hundreds of members to be completely silent - the thing that had happened was grave.

And it was. For the first time, Lady Kushina Uzumaki had stepped into the Senatorial Arena in a different Senator's float (not that it was hard, since the Confederacy of Independent Systems had left a lot of empty seats), and was dressed in the ceremonial formal robes of her people. She wore no Senator clothing, and her hair was not styled.

Next to her, there was a woman also with red hair with a sly grin on her face, wearing a hat that did not match her less formal way of dressing.

A redheaded male stood there, younger-looking than the others. His teal eyes glared murderously at the group.

Next to him, a _floating_ old human who was ridiculously short sat in midair, apparently unconcerned with the actions of his compatriots.

And finally, a bulky man who occasionally _literally sparked lightning._

All together, they made a terrifying group, and it was scary just being in the same room as them.

"Lady Kushina of Alderaan, I must enquire as to -"

"The charter between the Senate and Alteria made Alderaan and Alteria two separate governing bodies," Kushina interrupted. "If you ask Lord Oonoki, he could tell you. He was there."

The flying old man nodded. "Indeed, I was. That Chancellor was a female. She was also my -"

"We don't need the sordid details," the Chancellor said, gripping the bar in front of him. "What else did this charter say?"

"That Alteria government can only be classed as one when all the leaders of Alteria are dead and leave no successors," Kushina replied calmly. "Each of us has already chosen our successors. Therefore Alteria and Alderaan are two." She took a deep breath. "We come before the Senate with an announcement. We will have no more interference in the Clone Wars unless it directly affects us. My people and I have declared interstellar war on the Zygerrian Empire, and therefore recall every single adult Alterian to our home on Alderaan." The silence was so shocked everyone's eyes were as wide as dinnerplates (and possibly bigger, if one's eyes were bigger than dinner plates).

"Does Alderaan support this?" questioned the Chancellor.

"Alderaan supports Alteria," Bail nodded.

"As does Naboo," Padme interjected.

The Chancellor went pale.

~:~

"The Jedi should stand behind the choices of the Alterians!" Tir Forinth's outburst silenced the Council. If it were possible, her eyes seemed to focus on their faces, conveying her anger. "Sitting around doing nothing is how we missed the Sith Academy on Lokori."

"You've never been to their home, have you?" questioned Mace Windu.

Tir's eyes went blank again. "What are you talking about?"

Indeed, some of the masters looked askance at Windu.

"They use the Force of the planet itself," Windu replied. "Some of them use the Dark Side, and it does not seem to have an adverse affect. Not like it has on normal Jedi or Sith; you know of Uzumaki Karin, who resides here on Coruscant?"

"I do," Tir replied quietly.

"She's Sith. Or uses the Dark Side. Alterians walk the fine line between Light and Dark - and most of them don't even use that distinction."

"What about the children?" Tir frowned.

"It was a deal made with the founders of the Alterian culture, Hagoromo and Homura." Windu paused. "Children of Kaguya."

Dead. Silence.

Becoming a Master Jedi meant you had unlimited access to the Archives. And unlimited access meant you knew about Revan and Bastila - and before them, Kaguya and her children.

Hagoromo and Hamura had killed their mother out of necessity. Because both had been Jedi (before the distinction of 'Jedi' and 'Force-adept' was made), they had made an agreement with the Order: One child born on Alteria will be given to the Order every ten years.

Originally, Itachi had been selected first, then the youngest daughter of the line of Hagoromo was to be given to the Order.

With her kidnapping, the Jedi had been forced to wait. It didn't matter that the youngest daughter had only been born _seven_ years after Itachi; the potential was there.

"Their home has amassed Dark Side qualities, and Light Side qualities. There is no explicit balance between them. The only one among them who uses neither to the extreme is Itachi." Mace Windu folded his hands. "Kushina's successor is Naruto herself, though we have kept Naruto in the dark about this. She belongs on Coruscant, to the Order."

A sharp spike of anger radiated from Tir, who stood up abruptly.

"Master Forinth, this meeting isn't over."

"I resign from the Jedi Order," Tir said, her voice dark. "Until such a time you all get your head out of your collective asses and realize there is something _else_ going on here. Have a nice day."

The anger left with the angry master.

Mace Windu frowned.

"This is news to me," Master Luminara said. There was a coldness over the room. "You have purposely kept information from Hagoromo's _direct descendant,_ which means she could _possibly be -"_

"If she holds the remnants of Kurama, one of Hagoromo's youngest children, then she definitely _is,"_ Windu replied honestly. "Skywalker might have been trained by the Order if he _hadn't_ been found with Naruto. But being found with her changed everything."

"You've used her," Luminara breathed, glancing between the Grandmaster and Windu. "You've used her as a bargaining chip this entire time."

"No," Windu quickly said. "We've simply left out a few things."

"I'm with Master Tir." Shaak Tii stood up from her hologram seat. "I will still oversee the clones, as you have asked me to do, Masters. I reject my Council seat until such a time where you can see your own wrongdoing." She phased out.

A rift was forming, and one by one, the Jedi had to choose.


	59. Chapter 59

Darth Sidious - more commonly known as Sheev Palpatine - frowned.

On one hand, his slow manipulation of Skywalker was going well. But on the other, the Jedi he truly wanted was the Alterian.

But she was almost never alone with him, and when she was she was clammed up.

She hated his guts.

And, on the subject of the Jedi... The Force was clouding his senses.

He summoned his servant, Dooku, who bowed.

"Master."

Dooku didn't sound pleased. The Dathomirians had been far more equipped to deal with Greivous' attempted slaughter of them than expected, the Alterian and Skywalker were foiling every plot concocted... Yeah, no, Palpatine totally understood.

Unfortunately for Palpatine, he'd never been a Jedi. He'd never been to Alteria.

And, unfortunately for Palpatine, the actions the Alterians were taking against the Zygerrians would screw up what he had planned.

He had very few bargaining chips left.

Palpatine didn't know it. But he was losing.

~:~

Totally unaware of the things happening on Coruscant, Naruto and several cadets slipped to the docks.

"There's a shipment coming in tonight," Shoniee said, glancing at her pad.

"Hmm," Naruto said, frowning. Korkie glanced at the Knight. She seemed to be in deep thought. "What if..." She paused, closing her eyes. One of her fox ears rotated. "In there. That shed."

"That's blast-proof," Lagos said, disbelievingly.

Naruto twitched. "And we really don't have time for a story about how I heard a Twi'lek couple in the hotel next to me on Rodia going at it all night while I was trying to sleep off a hangover." A pause. Lagos, Amis, Shoniee, and Korkie stared at her, Shoniee's pad dropping a little. "Also, the hotel was supposedly soundproofed. These ears hear all, so get moving!"

"Jedi drink?" Lagos asked Amis under his breath.

"It was _one occasion,"_ Naruto grumbled. "And it has impacted my life forever because _I can't remember what the hell happened that night._ Now let's go, unless you want me to Jedi Mind trick you." She smiled at them. It was kind of unnerving.

Opening the blast doors a little, they were greeted with the sight of a warehouse filled with vats. Doctors shot resentful looks at the guards, who glared at them coolly.

"The doctors aren't doing this willingly," Naruto said with a frown.

"Why is the government not doing anything?" Korkie frowned.

"Sometimes, the government itself is the problem," Naruto said wisely. "Other times it's the people in the government." She waved her hand, and the blast door shut. "This complicates things," she frowned. "I doubt it's the Duchess' fault, what with the fact that the war's going on they kind of _have_ to ration things out... And the only other person in the government here on Mandalore is -"

She stopped, falling to her knees. Her eyes were wide with an emotion that was clear to the children.

 _Fear._

"Go. Get back to your rooms," she ordered, looking scared.

"What is it?" Amis asked.

"It's -" She grabbed her throat. A hulking, yellow-colored Zabrak came in view as she was lifted in the air. "Run!" she told them, gasping.

They ran.

"We need to tell my aunt!" Korkie told them frantically.

They headed for the Duchess.

~:~

Naruto _hated_ feeling helpless.

But, on forty-three planets in the galaxy, Jedi were banned simply because they were considered 'weapons of the galaxy'. And this Sith obviously didn't know that.

Naruto Force-Shoved at him, enough for his Force Choke hold on her to vanish.

Naruto would have stayed, but she had an objective. Obviously, the Death Watch were trying to take control of the Duchess' seat; but with Savage here, it meant that he'd either killed Maul or Maul was already in the Duchess' palace.

Naruto ran through the city, ignoring the possible chaos around her. She Force-jumped onto ships in the space lanes, using Force-jumps to leap from ship to ship. She headed towards the building.

Savage Oppress. He was one of the scariest she'd ever faced. Not including the Chancellor, who she really didn't have nice chats with.

She stopped in front of the palace, noticing the Death Watch symbol.

 _Sithspawn._

She was ready to run when she was surrounded by the Death Watch.

" _Haar'chak (damn it),"_ she muttered in Mando'a.

" _Jetii sleemo,"_ one said in Mando'a. Several others laughed.

Naruto smiled, her eyes closed.

" _Ne shab'rud'ni, Kyr'tsad,_ (Dont mess with me, Death Watch,)" she warned, creating a ball of pure Force. Her _Rasengan,_ as she liked to call it.

" _Mir'osik,"_ one of them muttered.

"I do _not_ have dung for brains!" Naruto shouted, lunging at the member of Death Watch. " _Rasengan!"_ She shoved the ball of Force into the stomach of the Death Watch member. "Let me through, _di'kut droten!"_ Okay, 'idiot people' may not have been the _best_ comeback, especially since she didn't have any of her weapons right then, but she didn't want to _overly_ antagonize the members of the Death Watch.

She knew she was trapped.

She tilted her head. The jetpack...

Last time Jango had told her _never to use a jetpack._

She didn't exactly listen on how to _stop_ flying a jetpack (not having been there), so she had to improvise.

That's okay. Naruto was _excellent_ at improvising.

She used the Force, snatching both a blaster and a jetpack.

She didn't put the jetpack safely on. It was a haphazard job, just to get her at a good altitude.

She activated it, the other members of the organization following. Naruto shot at a window below her, then slipped off the jetpack and used the Force to act like a tractor beam, aiming for that window.

She slammed into the Duchess' house just as one of the Death Watch members raised his gun to fire on the Duchess.

The children were staring at the Duchess, looking terrified. Obi-Wan was crying, Anakin looked stricken, and Maul -

 _Maul._

The bane of Naruto's entire existence.

Kurama's presence became clear.

 _Allow me, my dear._

Kurama's voice was sickly sweet.

Naruto let her.


	60. Chapter 60

Anakin felt a dark surge in the Force.

The crackle of dark energy met their ears, and they turned to see Kurama - for the red eyes indicated it _was_ Kurama - smiling darkly.

" **Hello, fellow Sith."** The weapon in her hands looked like a sword made entirely out of lightning. " **Goodbye, fellow Sith."**

Kurama ran. She was faster than any species Anakin had encountered, and Maul collapsed to the floor, dead, before their eyes.

Anakin didn't know if it was the trick of the light, but he imagined Maul's Dark energy entering Kurama.

Blue eyes replaced Kurama's and Naruto pointed the screeching lightning blade at the leader of the Mandalorians.

"Leave Satine out of this."

"And who do you think you are?" scoffed the man.

" _Mand'alor,"_ she responded.

There was a dead silence.

"I am the daughter of Jango Fett, _Mand'alor._ "

Naruto sucked at bluffs. So why was Naruto bluffing now?

"You lie." Pre Vizsla glared at her. Naruto's face remained unchanged.

"Do I?" she asked, reaching into her pocket with one of her hands, taking out a holocube. "This will say differently. It's his last will. By rights, I _am_ the _Mand'alor."_ She grinned nastily at them. "Want to contest my right?"

Everyone stared at the holocube.

If it was a bluff, it was the most complicated one Naruto had ever done.

~:~

"What would you have us do?" asked a feminine voice.

"Leave the Duchess alone," requested Naruto. "Let the people decide what they wish. If they want a warmonger as their leader, or a pacifist. War does shit to people, whichever side you're on." She stared around her, looking each of them in the helmet. "Maybe you can reach middle ground."

Satine looked hopeful. Pre Vizsla lowered his blaster- but then he threw a vibroblade.

Naruto didn't move, smiling even as she felt the vibroblade.

"You've chosen. _Your death."_

Naruto removed the vibroblade from her stomach, throwing back with pinpoint accuracy.

Naruto looked around her as Pre Vizsla collapsed, dead.

"Anyone else?" she challenged, raising her lightning blade.

Everyone knelt.

"I, _Mand'alor,_ allow Satine to choose an advisor from the Death Watch." Naruto motioned towards the people holding Anakin and Obi-Wan, using the Force to kickstart her healing. "And release them. If the Jedi Council finds out you've blatantly murdered three of their Jedi, I'm not sure they'll be lenient."

Everyone backed down rather quickly.

Naruto only remembered the Sith lord as his presence got closer.

"Also," she added, the blood loss getting to her head a little, "you might have to take care of the Sith Lord that was trying to kill me. I'm afraid I'll be having a meeting with the floor."

So saying that, she began that meeting with the floor.


	61. Chapter 61

Obi-Wan and Anakin were given their lightsabers, Anakin taking Naruto's lightsabers and igniting the blue one. Satine, Naruto, the children, and some of the other Death Watch members faced towards the door, the Death Watch protecting Satine and Naruto.

After all, the Death Watch WERE ceremonial. Protecting the _Mand'alor_ was key, enemy Jedi or not.

The Sith exploded into the room, meeting the blasters of... Everyone in the room.

"My sister took away your power," Anakin said darkly. "Why did you get it back? _How?"_

"She could not take it away," the Sith rumbled. "She only sealed it away. Give her up, and we will let you live."

Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"Are you high on glitterstim or something?" Obi-Wan interrupted, saying the exact same thing Naruto would in this situation. "Because it sounded to me like you suggested you take a Jedi Knight in front of a Master, a Knight - who is also her brother -, and several of her loyal followers? I don't think so."

"No," Anakin scowled. "You're not taking my sister _anywhere."_

He launched himself forward, taking the hulking Sith by surprise.

Another shadowed figure leaped down, forcing the Sith to shove Anakin using brute force.

The figure activated two red lightsabers.

It was Asajj Ventress. Ventress, who looked less like an evil bitch and more like... Well, a less evil bitch.

"Kenobi," she drawled. "Skywalker."

She was no longer bald. Platinum blonde hair grew on her head.

"Ventress," Anakin greeted, circling around the Sith.

"I've been chasing him for months," Ventress said. "I know him and his partner well."

"Partner's dead," Obi-Wan said, pointing to Maul's body. "How should we do this?"

"Well, I don't need him alive. I just need his head." A smirk formed on Ventress' face.

Anakin and Obi-Wan weren't really all that disturbed by that, though the Council (and the Jedi as a whole) might not agree with Asajj's ways. They would also be disturbed by the fact they were allying themselves with a former Sith.

"Shall we?" Ventress asked, as though asking for a dance.

As they readied to attack, Anakin and Obi-Wan felt a thin line connecting them with Ventress.

Instantly, Anakin recognized this. Naruto was creating a temporary Force Bond between the three, letting them feel each others' attacks. Risking a glance over, he saw a frown on her face. He looked back, and the three non-Sith drew in the right amount of Force and _pushed._

The same attack from three sides made him drop his lightsaber, but the Sith used the Force and shoved each of them back.

Death Watch began firing as soon as an opening was made.

The Sith summoned his lightsaber, but Anakin leaped in.

No words were exchanged in this fight - and it really wasn't a true fight as much as it was a brutal besting of the Sith.

Ventress' anger nearly shattered the bond, but Naruto overrode that with crystal-clear calm.

"I will not be defeated!" the Sith roared.

Ventress sliced off his head.

It was highly anticlimactic.

Naruto let the bond between the three Force-adepts fade; Anakin's and Obi-Wan's bond being there because it was Master and Apprentice, a bond not easily broken.

Anakin had felt the echo of a bond, a bond forged in hate and anger. He turned to Ventress, who was... Putting away the dead body of the Sith.

"Naruto can help with that, if you want it."

Ventress looked clueless. "What?" she asked blankly.

"The bond that you hate," Anakin replied. "What we had just now was a temporary Bond made through the Force."

Ventress looked surprised. Then she shook her head. "Not yet." She set her lightsabers on her hip again. "I must leave. You probably know how to find me if you capture Dooku first."

Anakin got it. She wanted him to suffer.

For now, he had a sister to get to the Temple.

~:~

"Control, this is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Traffic control officer Dana swallowed and glanced at his superior. The recent upheaval among the Jedi was well-known. "Requesting landing permission immediately; an injured Jedi is onboard."

"Where are you coming from?" Dana asked. It was per the guidelines of Coruscant; any chance of disease and the person had to be quarantined immediately, Jedi or not.

"Mandalore," Kenobi replied after a moment. "It's a stab wound. Not a disease."

"Master Jedi, you are clear to land," Dana said. His superior cleared his throat. "Uh, Master Jedi, I would be careful down there," he added.

Another pause. "Thank you, Control."

Well, at least they were polite.

Dana allowed them through.

He really, really, _really_ wanted to quit this job.


	62. Chapter 62

Naruto walked through the Temple with Anakin supporting her (only just barely, though), looking around. The Force was not as smooth as it usually was around the Temple.

It was beating, like a sharp staccato in a music holo. The beat remained steady, but it irritated Naruto.

"Something's wrong," Anakin murmured.

"I know," she replied. "We have to report to the Council."

A Knight hurried by - then stopped.

"Er, Naruto, Anakin?"

Not having interacted much with their peers, the two turned and frowned at the unfamiliar Togrutan Knight.

"Sorry, but you've been requested by the Council," she said, edging backwards. Probably because she'd heard about Naruto's and Anakin's reputations? Or maybe the bloodstain? Eh. Either way, Naruto and Anakin walked to the Council room instead of Anakin's barely-used room.

Entering the room, they were instantly aware of how... Quiet it was.

Naruto frowned. "Where's Master Tii and Master Forinth?"

"They have left the Council," Mace Windu said flatly. "Uzumaki, you must go back to Alteria with your Padawan."

"What?" Naruto asked, half-incredulous. "I'm not leaving without an explanation, Master."

"Officially, you have the rank of Master," Windu said, looking displeased with her request. Or it was just her in particular. Naruto didn't really know. Or, at that moment, care. "You are the first Alterian to become a Master. Congratulations."

Naruto stood there for a long moment.

"Also, your mother recalled all adult Alterians. As the Force is indeed strong with you, you will most likely win - and with the autonomy that goes with Master, you can report what is happening there to us."

"You mean spy on my people?!" Naruto half-yelled.

"'Spying', no. Telling us - wait. You don't know," he said, realization crossing his face.

"What?" Naruto turned to the other master in the room, Plo Koon. "What is going on, Master?"

"Alteria has declared war on the Zygerrian Empire."

Anakin and Naruto stilled.

Then Naruto smirked. "Oh, _fuck yes_. Later, Masters! I have to go meet my ride!"

"Masters," Anakin said, a grin similar to Naruto's on his face. "May I go with Naruto, and take my Padawan?"

He wanted to see the Zygerrian Empire _fall._

~:~

Itachi left Xizor's building with irritation, only for that irritation to turn into amusement.

"You didn't mask your Force signature." Naruto was dressed in _beskar'gam,_ a helmet next to her.

"Showing off your Mandalorian side?" he quipped.

"Eh, figured it'd be better to be cautious in case Death Watch shows up." Naruto moved, but carefully.

"What happened?" Itachi _knew_ something had happened.

Naruto shrugged and winced a little. "Pre Vizsla - leader of the Death Watch - decided to put a vibroblade in my stomach rather than let me live. It was entertaining before I had to stand there and make a rather baseless assumption that I was _Mand'alor,_ and that's why I have to wear the armor. Almost full time." She sighed and sat down in the co-pilot's chair. "Hope you don't mind if I sit here," she added, a bit late.

"No," Itachi shook his head and dismissed her concerns. "Are we expecting any other company?"

Naruto shook her head. "No, Anakin's request to join us was denied. My siblings are either in Alteria or on their way to Alteria with my Padawan and Boba."

"Why was his request denied?"

"Because I was already out of the room, and he couldn't race after me." Naruto smiled a little. "I'm the first Alterian Jedi Master."

Itachi was surprised.

"Congratulations." Naruto blushed a little and ducked her head. "You should probably sleep some on the way there."

"Why?" Naruto looked curious.

"Because," Itachi said, looking at her seriously. "You'll be tested the minute you get off this ship."

Naruto sighed. "Alteria's pretty hardcore, isn't it?"

Itachi let the ghost of a smirk appear on his face. "I told them we'd be there in two days. Half a day to sleep, and the rest of the time to learn what you need to know." He smirked. "You'll be the only one your age there. The other kids will be... Oh. Like ten."

Naruto looked properly horrified.


	63. Chapter 63

Iruka eyed his group of unruly children and one teen. The children barely noticed the teenager, who was dressed in standard Alterian-issue mesh and flexible clothes.

"Alright, children! Enough!" he scolded. Even if he wasn't showing it, he was pretty worried. His... Well, he didn't know what quite to call Kakashi, really, but _lover_ would have to suffice - lover was off to war with only the Chuunin examiners, the Academy instructors, and guards, Force-adept and not, there in Alteria. And, of course, the partners for the Chuunin test participants.

The children settled down, turning to their tests. It was all in Basic, as Naruto probably didn't learn the entire Alterian language.

"Sensei, why isn't the test like our usual ones?" piped up Inuzuka Kiba.

"Because some among us don't know Alterian," Iruka patiently explained.

"You mean the teen in the back?" Shikamaru asked lazily.

Said teen turned a vibrant red and ducked her head over her test as the entire class turned to stare.

"Don't be rude!" Iruka admonished his students, who looked properly guilty. "Now, apologize to Uzumaki-san. She was brought up on Coruscant - and questions can wait until _after_ the test," he added sharply as everyone turned to ply her with questions.

Reluctantly everyone turned to face forward, shooting her curious glances as they scratched at the test. Kiba pouted and tapped his pencil.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, her voice hesitant, "Sarutobi Konohamaru has been teaching me Alterian. If it's too much trouble to be in Basic, I think I can get by."

Iruka suppressed a smile.

"Thank you, Uzumaki-san," he said, "but this test was originally engineered to test their knowledge of Basic."

There was no interruptions after that.

~:~

Iruka collected the papers, and Naruto exhaled as the voices rose. She closed her eyes and immersed herself in the Force for a moment, intending to ignore the students.

Instead, she found herself face to face with a pissed Kurama.

" **He's around here somewhere."** Kurama's red lightsaber flashed and sliced some of the books. Rude.

" _What?!"_ Naruto wondered how she'd gone from being polite and nice-ish to angry. " _Who?"_

" **Shukaku! I want my revenge on him."** Kurama paused. " **Shukaku killed me. I have been** _ **biding my time**_ **for** _ **hundreds**_ **of years! No, make that thousands. I am angry. I will no longer abide standing by and doing NOTHING."**

" _You'll have to, Kurama."_ Naruto glared at her. " _I haven't kicked you from my body yet - and I will_ not _let you take over me and ruin this for me."_

Kurama snarled at her. " **My littlest brother tried to stop Indra... Indra let him live."** A sadistic smile came onto her face. " **Sorry to tell you this, but your inner Asura versus Indra instinct will go insane. We will kill Indra again, then I will have sufficient energy to go after Shukaku."**

" _I am not allowing you to do that,"_ Naruto said firmly. " _And I seriously have no clue what you mean."_

Naruto walked out of the room in her mind.

" **Do you think it was coincidence that I appeared in** _ **your mind,**_ **descendant?"** Kurama sounded strangely giddy.

" _Sometimes I try not to think about it at all,"_ Naruto replied harshly. " _Because you are not of this era, Kurama, and this galaxy has changed."_

~:~

She was jolted out of her mindscape by a nudge in the Force, her eyes opening and widening at the stares of the people in the classroom.

"My apologies for interrupting your meditation." The child in front of her reminded her of Konohamaru a little. "I am Shimura Udon. Why is it you came into this class?"

"I was told in order to go through my Trials, I had to pass the first test." She motioned around her. "This test."

"That _is_ a requirement, Udon-sama," another child said.

Udon gave Naruto a fixed glare.

"You and my apprentice would get along well," Naruto blurted out.

Udon blinked. "Apprentice?"

"Yep. Master Jedi here. My apprentice is Sarutobi Konohamaru." She beamed at Udon.

Udon grinned, a complete one-eighty. "I know Konohamaru! He's my friend."

 _Oh. Right. Konohamaru must have been allowed to come here._ Naruto smiled.

"Is it true?" A lazy-looking student asked, looking mildly interested. "You grew up on the Shining World?"

Naruto blinked at him.

 _Oh... Coruscant's old name._

"Eh. It's not that great, to be honest." She noticed all their looks. "Well... You can't really see the ground. It's always _cold._ " Naruto scowled. "There's the cantinas on the lower levels - always filled to the brim with seedy people, like druggies and drug lords and ladies and drug _people,_ criminal organizations... The Jedi can't do anything about it because there's laws that restrict that kind of thing." Naruto tapped her chin. "Er, the only things I would consider 'nice' to outsiders is the Senate and the Jedi Temple."

"Is it true that the Temple was built over the remains of a Sith Temple?" asked another student.

Naruto hesitated. "Yeah."

"Cool!" A young brunette with thick purple markings on her face said with a beam.

 _I suppose_ that _didn't help with Kurama's appearance._

Iruka popped his head in the room. "All of you passed. Naruto-san, I have been told to tell you something."

He brought out a piece of paper, stepping out into the room and tossing it in the air.

Naruto snatched it with the Force, summoning it to her and opening it.

An address, and permission to enter the Archives.

Something Naruto knew she'd need. Itachi had hinted that the first of her tests was something challenging.

She stood up, now thoroughly distracted. "Thank you, sensei. I have to go."

She needed to see if her sisters were there. And then she needed the Archives.

She took a deep breath and bowed to the class.

Then she turned tail and darted out.


	64. Chapter 64

Itachi smiled politely at Karin, Deidara, and Tayuya. The children were in bed, both of them having protested quite loudly at having been sent to bed; but that was why the others were quite a bit older than them. Adults.

Itachi's eyes shifted as Naruto entered, looking wide-awake and alert.

"That was a long test. Three hours."

"How did you do?" Itachi asked.

"Apparently we all passed," Naruto said. "I also have full access to the Archives. Going there tonight."

Right. The creature-blooded needed less sleep than the non-creature-blooded. Itachi drank his caf. "I'll learn what will be needed for the first part. The second part is a free-for-all in the Forest of Death - there's a certain amount of items you need in the Forest, but it'll be a breeze for you, I think - and there's a final part." Itachi swallowed. "I'm not sure what it will entail."

Naruto shrugged. "I think I can do it." She swallowed.

~:~

The Archives were _not,_ as the Temple was, filled with only holocrons and holograms. Dusty 'scrolls' lined the shelves. They seemed to get older as they went back, and Naruto went to the very back, where her retrieved holocron stood among many.

She sipped her caf; she would probably need it.

~:~

Twenty reading scrolls on her ancestors, Naruto wondered _how_ she was considered the last of Hagoromo's descendants.

She moved from one scroll to the next, pausing when she got a hum at her wrist.

She had fifteen hours left before she needed to rest before the test.

~:~

Itachi woke her up with K-45.

 _Not_ the nicest way to wake up on the day before her Trials into adulthood.

Itachi _did_ greet her with a bowl of ramen.

"The forest has _kokujin no byouki,"_ Itachi informed her as she looked at him. She paled a little. "Lady Kushina sent me the ingredients. The Trials take a maximum of ten days." She slowly started to eat, barely listening. Panic and whispers of doubt that she could actually do this was running through her mind - _how was she going to do this? How was she going to complete the Trials with barely any information?_

"Mom!"

She turned to Boba, who had raced out of his room, and let out a strangled whimper.

Itachi sighed quietly. "I took mine when I turned fourteen. It was a breeze."

Naruto stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Eat," Tayuya ordered, slapping the back of her head.

Naruto whined in her throat, her ears plastering themselves against her head.

"I don't want to do this," she told them after they all stared at her. "The other test was fine, but -" Naruto bit her lip and shoved the bowl away, hitting her forehead on the table and sighing. "I am _not ready."_

"Well, time to go!" Konohamaru was _not_ helping.

She looked up, a thought crossing her mind.

"Why are you here?" she asked him. "I mean, you should be with your family."

Konohamaru shrugged. "Eh. My dad's dead, uncle's busy with the outer-space war, and grandfather busy with a guest, I asked Tayuya if I could stay with her. She said yeah, and here I am. With several old hags."

The ladies in the room glared daggers at the cheekily grinning Konohamaru.

"Plus," he said to his Master. "I came here to see what kind of disaster would happen during the Trials. We get an entire front row for it!"

Naruto immediately sank back into her depression, slamming her head on the table again.

The adults glared at Konohamaru for saying that.

~:~

Uchiha Sasuke spotted his brother, talking into the fox ear of the only one that hadn't been preparing for the Trials. The outsider. The one he'd been forced to help.


	65. Chapter 65

Itachi smiled politely at Karin, Deidara, and Tayuya. The children were in bed, both of them having protested quite loudly at having been sent to bed; but that was why the others were quite a bit older than them. Adults.

Itachi's eyes shifted as Naruto entered, looking wide-awake and alert.

"That was a long test. Three hours."

"How did you do?" Itachi asked.

"Apparently we all passed," Naruto said. "I also have full access to the Archives. Going there tonight."

Right. The creature-blooded needed less sleep than the non-creature-blooded. Itachi drank his caf. "I'll learn what will be needed for the first part. The second part is a free-for-all in the Forest of Death - there's a certain amount of items you need in the Forest, but it'll be a breeze for you, I think - and there's a final part." Itachi swallowed. "I'm not sure what it will entail."

Naruto shrugged. "I think I can do it." She swallowed.

~:~

The Archives were _not,_ as the Temple was, filled with only holocrons and holograms. Dusty 'scrolls' lined the shelves. They seemed to get older as they went back, and Naruto went to the very back, where her retrieved holocron stood among many.

She sipped her caf; she would probably need it.

~:~

20Reading scrolls on her ancestors, Naruto wondered _how_ she was considered the last of Hagoromo's descendants.

She moved from one scroll to the next, pausing when she got a hum at her wrist.

She had fifteen hours left before she needed to rest before the test.

~"~

Itachi woke her up with K-45.

 _Not_ the nicest way to wake up on the day before her Trials into adulthood.

Itachi _did_ greet her with a bowl of ramen.

"The forest has _kokujin no byouki,"_ Itachi informed her as she looked at him. She paled a little. "Lady Kushina sent me the ingredients. The Trials take a maximum of ten days." She slowly started to eat, barely listening. Panic and whispers of doubt that she could actually do this was running through her mind - _how was she going to do this? How was she going to complete the Trials with barely any information?_

"Mom!"

She turned to Boba, who had raced out of his room, and let out a strangled whimper.

Itachi sighed quietly. "I took mine when I turned fourteen. It was a breeze."

Naruto stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Eat," Tayuya ordered, slapping the back of her head.

Naruto whined in her throat, her ears plastering themselves against her head.

"I don't want to do this," she told them after they all stared at her. "The other test was fine, but -" Naruto bit her lip and shoved the bowl away, hitting her forehead on the table and sighing. "I am _not ready."_

"Well, time to go!" Konohamaru was _not_ helping.

She looked up, a thought crossing her mind.

"Why are you here?" she asked him. "I mean, you should be with your family."

Konohamaru shrugged. "Eh. My dad's dead, uncle's busy with the outer-space war, and grandfather busy with a guest, I asked Tayuya if I could stay with her. She said yeah, and here I am. With several old hags."

The ladies in the room glared daggers at the cheekily grinning Konohamaru.

"Plus," he said to his Master. "I came here to see what kind of disaster would happen during the Trials. We get an entire front row for it!"

Naruto immediately sank back into her depression, slamming her head on the table again.

The adults glared at Konohamaru for saying that.

~:~

Uchiha Sasuke spotted his brother, talking into the fox ear of the only one that hadn't been preparing for the Trials. The outsider. The one he'd been forced to help.

Sasuke fought to keep a sneer off of his face as he walked to them to greet them.

Itachi stopped talking to her as Sasuke approached them.

"Little brother," Itachi acknowledged.

"You are no sibling of mine, traitor," Sasuke replied.

Instantly, the Uzumaki girl growled; he looked and saw her eyes. Like an animal's.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, two small fangs in her mouth making him blink.

 _Is this what makes the creature-born special?_

"Naruto," Itachi said, his tone as blank as usual. Naruto pressed her lips together. Itachi looked at Sasuke distantly; inwardly, the young Uchiha winced. "I would appreciate it if you did not rile up my student right now."

"We're in a team for the first trial," Sasuke told him curtly. "Kakashi-sensei is our teacher."

"Actually, special circumstances being what they are," Itachi said, his face still blank, "I am Naruto's mentor through these Trials."

"Which means you can communicate with each other," guessed Sasuke.

"Only during the second test," Itachi admitted. "But enough. Privileges aside, Naruto, remember what we spoke about."

Naruto rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I get it."

"We're about to get started," Sasuke told them. "We should head inside."

Naruto nodded.

Slowly, she followed him into the testing area.

~:~:~

Anakin, meanwhile, was busy with his own issues. A Padawan, a war, and a orphan who'd hopped a ship to find his sister.

"Look, kid," he said, exhaustion creeping up on him. "My sister's in no shape to do _anything_ right now. You need to go on home."

The girl stared up at him, wide-eyed.

"But I can't." She bit her lip. "My mama's gone. I need her help."

Anakin fought a sigh.

"Hey, Mixer! Where's One?" One was Naruto's friend -

"He died on the ship to Mandalore." Mixer's tone was stiff.

"Oh." Anakin felt awful for not having noticed - and Naruto had been extremely busy... "Can you do me a favor?" He clapped his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Can you get this kid to Senator Amidala and ask her to look after her while I'm gone? Or until Naruto's back - whichever is first." Most likely him; Naruto was busy with her Trials. He had a brief thought, though - he needed to get her something nice for her birthday, and if she passed.

He could feel their bond as Mixer nodded his assent, and the girl - Mogi or something like that - left with him; Naruto's and his bond was alive as it usually was.

He didn't want to distract her, so he didn't contact her through it.

All he needed was the reassurance his sister gave just by being alive.

~:~

Kushina, meanwhile, wasn't budging.

Miraj Scintel had made deals with Danzou; unfortunately for her, Kushina needed Danzou alive. Danzou had an entire army at his side, Kushina had a divided people.

Kushina saw the fleet appearing.

There would be no help from the Republic. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, letting the whisper of a plea out into the Force.

 _May the Force be with us,_ she thought to herself, eyeing the Zygerrian battle fleet that had appeared.

~:~

"Orders, sir?"

Obi-Wan Kenobi stroked his beard. They had won their most recent campaign in the space of Dathomir - Mother Talzin, however, refused to permit the 'outsiders' on their planet. Anora Kyorsk stood beside him, her three fleets ready - one fleet made of clones, two made from reprogrammed droids - for action. She had merely joined him because she had _that_ much confidence in her fleet.

"Well," Anora said, startling Obi-Wan into looking at her. "I think there's a refuel station near Alderaan. Want to stop by?"

Her ships jumped to hyperspace.

"You're disobeying the Order," Obi-Wan said, amused.

"Yep," Anora said. "I disobeyed it like, twice, by now. Master Tir, you can stop faking now."

A clone took off 'his' helmet.

"Thank the Force," Tir Forinth said. "It was beginning to get a bit stuffy."

Obi-Wan sighed with exasperation.

 _Force, this is getting ridiculous._

"Admiral, please follow Kyorsk's crew, and have one of the techs add Tir to the list of passengers. Also, best not to put through any messages from the Order. Just in case." Obi-Wan smirked.

The Admiral nodded, and they jumped to hyperspace, answering the faint call for help.


	66. Chapter 66

Sitting in a room full of possibly hostile people, Naruto was on edge and tried to discreetly read everyone.

Out of everyone in the room, one was not Force-Sensitive. Obviously, as the majority were Force-sensitive, Naruto knew that the person either had a political advantage or he was entered just because.

There were also many - she assumed - Uchiha here. They were noticeable by their eyes and spiky hair. They kept glancing at her - as if they were being discreet.

A blonde haired girl was slumped over in her seat. A lazy-looking man was watching her carefully.

Naruto bit her lip.

She'd finished the test, but she didn't know what to do. Obviously.

A man stood, as though by an unseen signal, and walked down the aisles. Naruto's heart beat quickly as she stared at her paper.

"Number 45." Naruto froze. "Follow me."

Naruto stood and followed him, her face burning in embarrassment.

She was shown to a room, and she was told to wait.

A few minutes later, Sasuke entered, loudly and rudely.

Naruto decided to go into meditation, but Sasuke - just as she was getting into it, decided to interrupt.

"Why do you meditate? It's not like Alterians need it. You're just wasting time."

Irritation flashed through her mind.

"Maybe because I want to be left alone, _genius._ Stop being rude and let me meditate."

"I don't think I will. Not like you can meditate with distractions."

 _I can, actually._ Naruto pulled her legs up onto the seat, sitting in a loose position and putting her hands in her lap, completely ignoring Sasuke's annoying chatter.

She didn't move as she hovered over the edge of touching the Force, like perching on the edge of a river. Then she slipped in, Sasuke's words fading to the back of her mind as she submerged herself in the Force.

Kurama was waiting for her.

The two stared at each other silently for a moment, then Naruto released a breath.

 _"Tell me about Indra and Asura."_

She'd read a little about them in the Archives. There wasn't much information on them.

 **"My oldest sibling, Indra, and my youngest, Asura. My only little sibling,"** Kurama _smiled,_ sitting down. **"Truth be told, Indra and Asura were the ones at each others' throats most of the time. Us in the middle tried to stay out of it even as we were choosing our sides."** Kurama looked off to the side. **"Asura and Indra were half-siblings - Asura and I were full brothers then. It was difficult for Asura and Indra - one of them were going to inherit Father's legacy, and Father chose Asura. I suppose that was the snapping point."** Kurama looked down. **"I told you everything else. Except that our spirits transferred to one host from another. That was the only thing I lied to you about - Orochimaru was probably close to finding immortality, but he wasn't Force-sensitive. Everything else I did not lie about."**

 _"And the thing that happened at the Temple?"_

 **"Believe me, I thought Yoda was the perfect host - or the Force did."** Kurama grimaced. **"I was totally wrong. He beat me out with** ** _logic."_**

Naruto stared at her. Kurama shrugged.

 **"He bested me, I left. Simple."**

 _"How am I considered the last of Hagoromo's descendants? There are plenty of children here."_

 **"Because the Uchiha are only half Hagoromo's children, one third Kaguya's. I wed a lovely child of Hamura."** Kurama grinned toothily. Naruto got it.

 _"That's... Really strange."_

" **Yes, well, there were limited choices. Kira was beautiful, and that beauty passed onto my darling daughter. You're the last pure descendant of Kaguya. Your father's genes don't count - you must have noticed that, despite your blonde hair, you have fox appendages."**

Naruto stared at her flatly. _"No, I didn't notice I had three extra appendages all my life."_

Kurama laughed a little. **"Those appendages mark that you are pure-blood Hagoromo. The Uchiha used to have wolf characteristics, but they're gone. You are my last descendant, and you carry me and Asura's spirit within you. All you need to do is look."**

Kurama placed a hand over her heart, and Naruto could see redness seeping from her heart. Kurama moved her hand, and it was a spherical mass of red, Dark energy. Instinctively, Naruto stepped back.

 _"What are you doing?"_

 **"I'm afraid I've been distracting you,"** Kurama said, her face unhappy. Naruto tensed, feeling a presence behind her -

\- something slammed into her back, red lines racing rapidly out of the collar of her robes, racing up to her eyes and covering them. Two red irises showed, showing starkly against the blackness of the sclera.

It took a minute, but when the red lines vanished, a crazed grin appeared on Naruto's features.

Kurama looked annoyed.

 **"You** ** _do_** **have to at least** ** _look_** **like Naruto, Yami."**

Yami-Naruto pouted. _"But I like this look!"_

Kurama looked displeased. **"Look like her or I will execute you."**

Yami-Naruto flinched.

~:~

Konohamaru paused as he felt a shift.

"Um, Itachi-san?" Itachi, who was next to him, glanced at him. "Is it normal for there to be a change in the person? Like, her but not?" Konohamaru frowned as he tapped his chin. "Like, her but like all Dark Side-ish."

Itachi shrugged. "There really shouldn't be any outward or Force-felt changes in the person who finishes the Trials. Since it's just the basic testing right now, no, there shouldn't be changes."

Konohamaru frowned. "It's not a real, flat-out change."

"Does Naruto have multiple personalities?" Tayuya brought up. "In the mines, I wasn't a happy kid. Sometimes I'd black out, but then I'd come back to find myself in a puddle of blood." Okay, that was a disturbing image. Itachi glanced at her thoughtfully.

"It might be possible," he admitted reluctantly. "Plus, with the war and all, she might be under a lot of stress and easier for the Dark Side to cling on to."

"Or she's going to kill Sasuke." The Uzumakis, Konohamaru, Boba, and Itachi all stiffened at the monotone voice behind them.

"Kazekage-sama." Itachi, for once, sounded _human._ No condescending looks, no impatience, and no wisdom to give. Itachi sounded, for a brief instant, unsure of himself. He did not glance back once, so how he knew that the Kazekage was behind them was beyond him. Konohamaru chanced a glance behind him, and instantly whipped back around.

The man's eyes were completely blank. His teal eyes were staring unwaveringly at the screen, and he was covered in moving particles of sand.

"I believe she is being manipulated into killing Sasuke. She'll come for me, next."

The Kazekage sounded indifferent.

"Really? What makes you say that, Kazekage-sama?" inquired Deidara, glancing at the redhead and... Konohamaru _stared._ Was Deidara _fluttering his lashes?_ Was... Was... _Deidara flirting with a_ KAGE?!

Kage-level Force-sensitives were born with an irregularity in their bodies - an ability that manifested themselves upon completing their Trials. Itachi's Sharingan made him ineligible for the Kage seat because of the fact the Sharingan had been used before as a way to control people before. Madara had led the people - but nobody considered him a 'Kage' anymore. He was struck from the records of Kage and left to lead the Uchiha.

The Kazekage glanced at Deidara. "Because Sasuke has Indra's spirit in him, and Naruto-san has Kurama and Asura's spirit in her. Obviously Kurama is going to use her to kill Sasuke, then come after me using her talent of manipulating the person she's bound to." The Kazekage stared at Deidara. "And you might be?" he asked.

"Uzumaki Deidara," Deidara replied, a grin on his face. "You're hot, wanna go out with me on a date after my sister finishes the test?"

The Kazekage stared at him for a long minute. "How about now?" he asked after a moment, standing.

Deidara stood as well, his lips curving into a smile.

"I'd love to," he whispered.


	67. Chapter 67

Anakin gritted his teeth as he clutched his arm.

"Hold on, sir," the Republic medic requested, pulling off some gauze.

"What's your name?" Anakin asked, mostly to get his mind off of the long, jagged slice that had resulted because of a last-minute jump. It had come perilously close to his urnal artery in his wrist.

"Kix," the clone medic replied quietly, working efficiently to bind the lower half of the wound, making his way quickly upwards and cutting the gauze, taping it to his arm.

"Thank you. You should tend to your brothers," Anakin said, picking his lightsaber up. His arm twinged, but he ignored the fact that the bandage was rapidly soaking with blood. He hitched his saber on his belt, then walked over to a dazed Ahsoka.

"You okay, Snips?"

"Yes, Master," the Togruta responded, her wide blue eyes looking around. "Master, is it just me or is that a ticking sound?"

Anakin listened.

"Probably not you," Anakin said, his human hearing not picking anything up. He focused for a moment, listening to the waves of the Force, and nodded. "Not you. We need to send the explosive elsewhere."

"How?" Ahsoka turned frightened eyes on her master.

Anakin smiled. "Use the Force, Padawan." Ahsoka nodded, and together Master and Padawan lifted the explosive up and away from the company, throwing it at the entrance.

While it didn't completely cave in the entrance - there were places where rocks did not land, so they had air - it wouldn't be wise to stay in there for very long.

Just as Anakin was going to congratulate his Padawan, a whisper of urgency flooded through the Force.

~:~

Naruto opened her eyes to _blue._ The color stained every area in this... Area, and made her want to see a different color.

A hand, as tanned as her own skin (though her skin may have been a shade paler), entered her field of vision.

 **"I'm afraid my brother Kurama usually has ulterior motives,"** a deep, reassuring voice said. Naruto looked up as she was helped up. She saw kind brown eyes - there was something distinctly _Light_ about this person in her mind. **"I've been waiting to meet you for years. Since you first learned of the Force."**

Naruto bit her lip. "You're Asura, aren't you?"

He nodded. Naruto smiled.

"This is so _awesome!"_

Asura blinked. Then he laughed a little.

Naruto's smile faded.

"I _did_ want to talk to you, but what did Kurama do?"

Asura's face turned serious.

 **"Kurama took some of his natural Dark talent and made you a minion, but Kurama** ** _might_** **be out of practice. Hopefully it's just some talking and a hug, and then you'll make your peace with it!"**

Naruto stared at Asura for a long, long moment.

"Did your father drop you as a baby?"

~:~

Sasuke so _knew_ it. Even having the ability to notice Dark Side energy, he could see her eyes. And they were _evil._

"So, Naruto." Naruto looked up, those reddish pupils making him activate his own eyes. "Where's the real Naruto?"

Unknown to Naruto across from Sasuke, a camera showed their small camp in the Forest of Death to the chatting spectators in different rooms.

The Naruto in front of him tilted her head. "Still here, but lost to you mortals." A wide grin, unnatural on her face, stretched across her face. "I will get our revenge."

The girl in front of him ignited her lightsaber, which had changed.

Sasuke took out his lightsaber. It was also red, but it had not been 'broken' like other crystals. It was also not a dark red like the one his opponent was holding.

Sasuke knew that his clan thought that letting Naruto lose meant the end for Kushina. In a way, it did - but Kushina had more children waiting in the wings.

"Who's revenge?"

"Kurama's!" Naruto fought like a Sith acolyte - all attack and no defense. Sasuke, being slightly stronger than her, pushed her back with a few strokes. Quickly, Naruto assumed defense, her eyes changing from white and blue to red and black, no pupil in her eyes.

Sasuke immediately knew what had happened. The Yami - or Dark - of Naruto's soul had manifested itself.

Sasuke had beaten his own Yami into submission before.

"You're her Yami side." Normally, they didn't physically manifest themselves physically, but as a plague of the mind. For Naruto to have her Yami side manifest physically, there was either an outside force influencing her or she hadn't had to face her Yami before now.

 _Children_ fought their Yami - as younglings or just children.

Sasuke recalled that Naruto wouldn't know that.

"Indra will die!"

Sasuke blinked.

"You're trying to kill _me?"_

"Obviously!" the Yami yelled. "Why _else_ would I be doing this?!"

"I thought -" Sasuke dived to the side to avoid getting sliced in half. "- you were doing it because you were Yami-Naruto."

"I didn't exist until a few _hours_ ago," Yami snarled. "I wasn't exactly on the _verge_ of manifesting myself physically."

Sasuke blinked.

 _Does that mean she doesn't_ have _an evil side?_

~:~

Uchiha Madara allowed a smirk to cross his face before it vanished.

Half of his clan was there, the Elders who would not dare cross Madara.

Naruto would fail this test.

He was sure of it.

~:~

Naruto sighed as she reached to the door that led out of this blue place.

Asura had helped her, never moving from that one spot, and waited until she had a hand on the handle to tell her.

 **"You have a choice coming that will affect the rest of your life."**

Naruto paused, hand inches from the rest of the door.

 **"It won't be today. But you'll need to talk some sense into Kurama if you want to survive this."**

Naruto turned to Asura. Despite his idiotic statement earlier, he was completely sincere and serious.

"Did you ever try to talk sense into Indra?"

 **"Indra was bitter and angry that our father chose me. Kurama did the best he was able."**

For a moment, Naruto thought about it.

"Kurama wasn't as Dark as he makes himself out to be, was he?"

 **"He was a genius, and he was a Dark Side user. But he used the Dark side and let it feed off his constant rage and confusion and sadness about our living situation that he** ** _underplays_** **his Dark half."** Asura paused. **"I don't want you to kill Indra or Shukaku. But I don't want to die, either."**

Naruto nodded.

 **"Hashirama had the same choice you do now. You can leave me here and I'll leave and take Indra's spirit with me, or I can stay and you can at least** ** _try_** **not to kill Indra or the others,"** Asura bargained.

Naruto took a literal second to think about it.

"I think I'll need your help." If she had to fight Indra - if Sasuke was _influenced_ by Indra - Naruto knew that Asura's help would probably be needed.

Asura beamed. **"Yay!"**

Naruto rolled her eyes, idly wondering if it was too late to change her mind even as Asura vanished, a bright light flashing all around them.

Instead of Naruto blacking out for a few seconds, she was surrounded by darkness. Soon, what looked like a light at the end of a tunnel appeared, a small pinprick of light that looked as far as a star did when on another planet.

Naruto groaned.

Asura's amusement just made her annoyed.

~:~

Indra smiled at Sasuke. **"Take as much power to destroy Asura as you need."**

"How do I know when she's influenced?" Sasuke found himself asking Indra, wincing internally at the pleased smile that spread over Indra's face.

 **"Her eyes."**

Sasuke stared at her eyes.

~:~

Kushina gaped at the fleet that exited space. _CIS parties are arriving?!_

But then, her comm unit crackled to life.

"In a bind, Lady Kushina?"

Master Tir of the Jedi?!

"The Republic has arrived?" she asked herself out loud, responding to the Jedi.

"More like an unplanned detour," Tir's voice replied smoothly. "I am no longer of the Jedi, as I quit."

"I didn't know you could quit," another voice, younger than Tir's, blurted.

"You can, it's just not likely that you'll be let back in. Lady Kushina, our services are yours. These two Separatist fleets are ours, and they will do as you command."

Kushina slumped in relief.

"Thank you," she said in a formal tone. "Let's squash these slavers."

Pleasure at her tone of bloodlust rang through the Force, and hundreds of Zygerrian fighters exited their ships.

Kushina went forward.

~:~

Naruto entered her normal mindscape, Kurama sitting there all alone.

"Kurama."

Kurama stood fluidly, a patient smile on her face as she turned.

She paled as she caught sight of Naruto, who had announced herself with the single, angry sound of Kurama's name, the sight of Asura behind Naruto possibly a little too much for Kurama to retain any grace.

 **"Hello, brother,"** Kurama greeted, still looking like she'd seen a ghost.

(Which was likely, as Kurama and both Asura were both ghosts in the Force.)

 **"Hey, bro!"** Asura greeted, smiling genially. **"It's been a while! You have changed."**

Kurama's left eye twitched. **"I'm female thanks to my host. Ugh. I hate you."**

 **"No, you don't,"** Asura disagreed easily. **"Recall your minion, Kurama. Or else."**

Kurama focused. A being shimmered into view, looking terribly disappointed, even as it smiled wide and mockingly.

 _"Oh, dear,"_ the person-that-wasn't-Naruto said in a mock sad voice. _"Asura-kun got out."_

Anger flashed in Asura's eyes. Naruto closely watched for some sort of sign that he was Dark, as she'd been taught not to show her emotions (not that she listened much), but found nothing in his Force signature to indicate such a thing.

Asura walked over to the creature, who looked annoyed as Asura placed a hand on his own heart.

Instead of red lines, they were blue.

And it was a much smaller ball of blue.

But Asura placed his hand on chest of the creature, and it seemed to purify.

It blew away like the fragments of a leaf.

Naruto shivered as Asura turned to her, holding his hand out.

She took it.


	68. Chapter 68

Her eyes were clear.

Sasuke hesitated. Indra hissed, and he swung.

Naruto cried out, flinging her hands out and Pushing him with the Force. He flew back, hitting his head on a tree.

Indra clucked with disappointment.

 **"Allow me,"** he said to Sasuke curtly, not giving him a choice and shoving him aside.

~:~

Deidara was just finishing his salad when the Kazekage froze, alarm flashing over his face.

"It's too soon," the Kazekage whispered, sounding so defeated.

Before Deidara could ask the hot redhead - Gaara - what he was talking about, the Kazekage seemed to dissolve in sand.

~:~

Naruto stared at Sasuke. Something about him was so _off._

She went for her lightsaber, but the other summoned it, tossing the double bladed saber deep in the forest.

With a swift move, Indra kicked her back, sending her flying.

She lay on her side, grunting in fake pain and actually slipping her lightwhip from in her robes.

"Get _up,_ Asura!"

Naruto grinned and flicked her wrist, the whip curling around his leg and tripping him up.

Naruto stood, glaring at him and not making a move towards him.

Instead, she edged around a tree and took off, jumping onto a tree and using that to trip the others up.

Kashyyk had a lot of trees, after all. It was only natural the teen had learned to jump them.

She went in one direction, then moved in a wide half circle to her saber, which was lying carelessly on the ground.

She didn't descend from the tree she was in, instead calling it to her and jumping off, getting a little distance from the others in the forest.

She then stopped at a random tree and checked her saber almost obsessively.

"Oh, sweetie, he mishandled you, didn't he?"

Okay... Talking to her lightsaber was _not_ a good sign.

She made both ends ignite, the familiar _snap-hiss_ soothing her ruffled soul a lot more than was probably viewed as normal. She smiled and patted it.

She stuffed her lightwhip back into her shirt, deactivating her blades and taking them apart, slipping one in her boot and the other in her other boot. Then she made herself at home on two branches, kicked her feet up on a third, and fell asleep in that position.

It was awkward and she would be hurting when she woke up, but she was exhausted.

~:~

"And the current bet is Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke winning, with Haruhi Mikari losing completely. The final testing stage is getting nearer, folks! Stay tuned for the headcount of the dead!"

The annoyingly cheerful asshole who did the news vanished from the program, and an ad for a cruise to Coruscant popped up.

Itachi sighed, standing up.

"Leaving?" Karin asked, holding out a new batch of popcorn.

"Clan business," he said curtly.

Of course, he was going as a generic member of the Uchiha, since he wasn't allowed in, but he doubted his mother would deny him entrance.

He slipped into the Uchiha clan compound by a short DNA scan - the compound itself nestled in a clearing on the outskirts of Konohagakure - and walked to the meeting point, blending in with other hushed Uchihas and entering the huge secret meeting place.

Also known as the clan school's lunch room. It smelled like... Cleaner. It was very odd to be here.

"Sit, please," Fugaku called out. Itachi slipped into a seat in the middle.

Okay, so he _had_ taken his hair down and put contacts in, these ones a deep purple in color. And yes, he was dressing as a woman again. Nobody noticed because purple and onyx were very common shades in the Uchiha - but they had always commented on how Itachi's were almost like obsidian black - so very unique.

Now, though... With a dark purple set of eyes, their eyes would slide past him. His eye shadow he'd expertly put on while walking had done wonders, too.

(He'd had to do quite a few operations where a female touch was necessary. Dressing up wasn't a big deal to him.)

"Madara."

Itachi refrained from letting his Force signature broadcast his emotions. Madara refused to acknowledge the fact his time as a political leader was over, and it was someone else that should take the reins.

"I have a plan to finish the Uzumaki clan. Assimilation."

Itachi knew what that meant. If Sasuke married Naruto, Naruto would be forced to live the Uchiha way, forcibly given the Uchiha name. She would die without loving Sasuke (probably) and the final pure-blooded child of Kaguya would die.

No. Itachi refused to let that happen.

He met his mother's eyes, and he saw the lovely onyx eyes of hers widen in shock.

A mother always knew her child.

Itachi carefully reached out. His mother was disgusted - even his father was.

With Naruto out of the way, killing the other Uzumaki would be a quiet affair.

Itachi would never allow that to happen.

When the meeting drew to a close an hour later, some of the clan women approached him, Mikoto among them.

"Dear, we were just talking about your lovely pies," Uchiha Izumi said, grabbing Itachi's hand. A distant cousin, Izumi had once been a love interest. But now his interest was elsewhere, and he could tell Izumi's was as well. "Mikoto wants to know your secret recipe."

"Oh, just a dash of love," he smiled.

"Oh?" smiled Mikoto. She covered her mouth, the other ladies giggling. "For who, Izura?"

"Ah, nobody," Itachi said 'bashfully', pulling a blush up from nowhere. "Just a strawberry blonde with the keenest set of orange ears." He wasn't outright lying. "She has one _fiiinee_ tail."

"Oh?" Mikoto gushed as Ikuza and Izanami giggled, Izumi blushing to the tips of her own ears. "Have you asked her to marry you yet?"

"No," Itachi sighed. "I'm planning on crashing her wedding, pretending to be her husband."

The group of women stared at him for a solid minute.

"You have my blessing," Mikoto beamed. "You would look _handsome_ as a man."

Itachi forced another blush to appear.

"Why thank you," Itachi said, adding a tiny giggle to the end. Some infiltration men found themselves found out and summarily executed because they hadn't paid attention to the wiles of human women (since human women were really the only species humans could pretend to be; though to be fair, Itachi had once seen a Clawdite killed because he'd not paid attention to human interaction, specifically the human woman he'd been pretending to be. Sure, Bothans - in a pinch - _could_ use a hologram, but the Bothan race as a whole preferred their cloak-and-dagger methods). Adding a giggle to a group of giggling women would not be seen as amiss.

As a matter of fact, Itachi's alternate persona - Izura - _was_ a real Uchiha woman. However, Izura was a diplomat for Alderaan and rarely even came back onto the planet. Itachi could switch his name, but if Madara checked into the name's whereabouts Itachi would be screwed.

Checking Izura's whereabouts, however, would screw Madara. Izura never logged her true destination, and by the time Madara found out where she was Izura might actually have landed upon Alderaan, stayed in Alteria for a few days restocking, and been already on her way to her next meeting.

Plus, Itachi knew Izura and would legitimately pay her to stay away from this _one_ meeting.

"Keep me updated, alright, Izura? It's been such a pleasure meeting with you!" Mikoto kissed her cheeks and hugged Itachi. Itachi hugged back as fiercely as he dared.

"And you, Mikoto," Itachi smiled. "We should catch up soon; I have to leave if I'm to make the wedding on time."

"Anytime," Mikoto said back. "I would love to hear what kind of meetings you've been going to."

Itachi giggled again and winked. "Believe me, Mikoto, they're so _boring_ that _this_ is the highlight of my year."

Mikoto snorted.

With a jaunty wave, Itachi left the group of women, joining the throng of leaving Uchiha.

~:~

"Ah, Anakin." Anakin turned to see the Chancellor behind him in the Senate, smiling as people moved around them. "Visiting Senator Amidala?"

"Just dropping my Padawan off for much-needed knowledge," Anakin answered evasively. Anakin didn't like fooling the Chancellor, though he knew the need for secrecy - nobody knew whose side the other was on. The Council itself had split, as was obvious by the empty chairs in the Council room, absent of even holograms. His comm unit beeped, reminding him that Master Windu had asked him to return to the Temple for a new assignment.

"Do you have a new assignment?" inquired the Chancellor. "I have heard of a Separatist base on Mustafar."

"We were there two standard days ago," Anakin admitted. "So far it's just been skirmishes. Nothing major." Nothing like what happened on Lokori, at least.

"And your sister?" asked the aging man.

Anakin nearly bit the man's head off with his next angry words, but controlled himself and rethought what he was going to say before speaking.

"Busy," he said in the politest tone he could muster. "Busy on Alteria."

The Chancellor clucked disapprovingly. "Shouldn't she be helping you?"

"Not her fault," Anakin muttered. "It was forced on her. Duty, right of birth and all that." Anakin felt a little anger at Naruto's mother for forcing this on her, a little anger at Naruto for _allowing that to hap-_

He stopped.

"I see." The Chancellor looked disappointed.

Anakin's communication unit sounded.

"Apologies, Chancellor. The Council is calling," Anakin said wearily.

"Very well, my boy." The Chancellor began walking again, his aides looking pleased to be doing so.

Anakin walked to his shuttle, a brief smile appearing on his face at seeing Artoo waiting for him patiently.

His communication unit pinged again. Annoyed, Anakin pressed it.

"I'm on my way now, Master."

 _"Change of plans, Skywalker. Stay at Uzumaki's place until we call you."_

Then his comm unit went silent.

"Well fuck you too."


	69. Chapter 69

Naruto entered the tower. Her exhaustion weighed her down.

"The third test will now take place."

She blinked, staring at the other occupants of the room.

"Those of you who want to back out now can do so."

Several people left. Naruto noted that Sasuke, the guy with no Force sensitivity (and even as she realized who it was she wondered why, for stars' sake, was he wearing a completely _green_ jumpsuit?).

"We will begin with a short battle. Kazekage-sama, you said you wished to test one of them?"

A man with blood red hair - possibly Naruto's age, if not a little a older - stepped forward.

"Indeed." His voice was a monotone. "Uzumaki Naruto, please step forward."

"Kazekage-sama, I'm not sure that's -"

The Kazekage shot the lady that was talking a murderous look. The woman squeaked and swallowed.

Naruto stepped forward, summoning her sabers as the man stood there.

He withdrew a double bladed lightsaber.

Naruto had only ever fought one of those kinds of sabers, and she now held the finished product of her.

"This is an irregularity," some old people muttered to each other.

Naruto's face burned. She was filthy and she had to _fight a Kage._

Kurama's presence made her flow with the Force disjointed as Kurama stole control over one hand, and Asura shared her other arm. She felt like she was being pulled apart in the middle with no idea where either of her halves would end up.

~:~

Konohamaru sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes and jumping into the Force without a single other thought. Reaching for his master and thinking only of her, he found her.

 _Now,_ only immersed in the Force intentionally, could Konohamaru see what his master saw. Colors in the Force made up the universe.

And three colors twisted, pulling for control. Limited, in the case of the green color, yes, but control nonetheless.

Konohamaru wondered if there was something _somewhere_ to stop what was happening.

He had an idea. It literally popped into his mind.

He glanced at Karin. Despite the fact she was Dark, Karin was at least familiar to Naruto.

Only those attuned to Naruto and her signature would notice.

~:~

Itachi could feel a distinct tremble, reaching out to soothe whatever it was.

 _Naruto._ She was fighting the Kazekakge.

He focused, and within a minute, he was adding to the strength of Konohamaru and Karin.

~:~

Naruto slid into Kurama's mind, to the day of Kurama's death.

 _The black portal Kurama had created crackled behind him, Dark and Light energies clashing and exploding and imploding at the same time. Kurama raked his eyes on his creation wearily, his daughter looking troubled._

 _"Father, we must leave," she told Kurama._

 _"I cannot," Kurama replied steadily. "I will not, either."_

 _His daughter shot him an angry and exasperated look at the same time._

 _"Fine. Stay here and die for all I care." She did, for she turned to him one last time._

 _Kurama shook his head. "GO!" he ordered his daughter harshly._

 _His daughter vanished through the portal. Kurama returned his attention to the feeling of Shukaku getting closer and readied his blade._

 _Quickly, the youngest living brother of Shukaku got ready._

 _Shukaku swaggered in, looking completely insane._

 _"Oh, Kurama!" he called with a crazed grin. "Time to die!"_

 _Kurama darted out._

 _The battle was quite swift, Kurama cutting off Shukaku's legs and leaving him lying there to die a slow death before starting to walk away._

 _But then he paused, turning._

 _"I shall be merciful this once." With a wave of his hand, Shukaku had legs again, made out of the slowly collapsing portal._

 _Kurama turned to walk through the portal._

In the present, Naruto found herself locked together with Shukaku. Kurama's anger had been that Shukaku had killed him - and Shukaku had been insane.

Naruto was far better at fighting than healing, but she could heal this.

Using the Force, Naruto pushed him back, leaping and doing a somersault onto the teen's back. She tapped into the Living Force and placed her hands on the head of the redhead, and he collapsed as she dug around as gently as she could muster.

Shukaku's mind was FAR from any sane point.

Naruto purified it.

Slowly but surely, the mind of Shukaku erased itself, passing peacefully away into the Force.

Naruto got off of the Kazekage, who was currently unconscious.

There was a very loud silence.

She looked at the lady, whose left eye was twitching. The Elders looked like Naruto had given them a mental heart attack. And the students looked like they'd all been shocked stupid.

"Through here."

Naruto blinked and turned to the heavily scarred man.

She walked through the silent room and entered a new one.

"This is the third and almost last test," the man said quickly, sounding bored and annoyed. "Any memories you have buried, unintentionally or otherwise, are brought to the surface. If you want them to stop, take control of them."

He took out a needle.

Naruto swallowed a little bit as he stuck the needle in her vein.

He emptied the contents of the needle into her arm, but she didn't feel any different.

A minute passed.

"Huh," the man said with a frown. "I guess you're still very troublesome after all."

Naruto opened her mouth, but she blinked -

 _-and was instantly on Rodia, taking cover from fire. Jango was there, fighting with his own blaster and returning fire._

 _"Brat, can you shoot out that window up there?"_

 _Naruto looked to where Jango briefly pointed._

 _"Sure!" She shot the window, and used the Force to fling the glass pieces at the opposing bounty hunter. With a scream, the other hunter fell back and stopped firing._

 _Both Jango and Naruto slipped in more, heading toward Jango's profit._

 _"Alright, let's get this bounty to our employer." Jango heaved up the bounty, Naruto staring at the death she'd caused._

 _"Kid."_

 _She jumped as Jango put a hand on her shoulder._

 _"Things like this happen," Jango told her quietly._

 _Naruto shrugged his hand off._

 _"I have no clue what you're talking about," she lied._

 _Jango sighed and forcibly removed her from the body's vicinity._

 _~:~_

 _The cantina they entered sold elegant Rodian drinks (officially) and drugs (unofficially) like deathsticks and glitterstim, two of the best drugs in the galaxy. Naruto ordered a pink drink, one that had an umbrella poking out of it._

 _Unknown to her, they had some glitterstim in it._

 _Naruto sipped at the drink cautiously. She loved sugar. Like, if she had caf with sugar, she'd have basically caf with that sugar._

 _"You probably shouldn't drink that," Jango observed, not touching his drink. "They usually put glitterstim in it. That's why the price is so low."_

 _The Weequay bartender threw the bounty hunter a murderous look._

 _"I think I need this," Naruto said, surprising the bartender and Jango. "I have to meet my Master at the Senate building." She grimaced. "Some of the population is demanding a fair shares of the lands."_

 _"Then you_ definitely _shouldn't be drinking." He reached to take the drink._

 _Naruto hissed at him when he touched her drink._

 _He removed his hand hastily._

 _The day wore on, Jango not drinking but keeping an eye on the Jedi, who had finished her drink._

 _"Another," she slurred to the new bartender, another Weequay._

 _"I'm not serving to an underage person," he snapped._

 _Naruto waved her hand. "I'm not underage."_

 _The bartender's eyes glazed._

 _"You're not underage."_

 _"You will serve me another drink."_

 _"I will serve you another drink."_

 _The bartender served her another drink, and Jango blinked at the Jedi._

 _"Have you ever done that to me?" the older man said._

 _"No." Naruto turned slightly glazed eyes to him. "I would never do that to you. You're Jango." She sounded insulted as she turned away from him. A Sullustan and a Caamasi were arguing drunkenly about which creature was better: A dewback or a nexu._

 _"Nexu, obviously," Naruto called over to them. "Dewbacks are too big and bulky. I like nexus more cause they like to chew you up and eat you." She looked high. Very, very high. "Dewbacks take weeks to digest a person."_

 _"Which proves my point," the Caamasi said to the Sullustan. "I prefer nexu for they don't eat nonexistent plants."_

 _"Dewbacks are native to Tatooine. Desert planet. Hot," the Sullustan argued. "If a nexu were transported to a world like that, they would die."_

 _"No, not necessarily," Naruto shook her head. "Eventually, yes, but not out of starvation or thirst. A dewback would die of both if they were crossing the Jundland Wastes or the Dune Seas. A nexu probably wouldn't, because of the population of Jawas and Tusken Raiders, along with the moisture farms. A nexu would eat anything with meat on it, and if it's a creature, it has blood on it. So, theoretically, no, it wouldn't die." Naruto smiled at them._

 _Beside her, Jango gulped._

 _"What, you a native of Tatooine?"_

 _"No," Naruto said, being completely honest. "I lived there before. I've studied nexu before. Beautiful creatures. Wild, uncontainable... Amazing."_

 _"Just like you!" The Caamasi said, standing and walking over to the Jedi. "May I take you over the seas of Caamas, over the wilds... Will you become my partner in all I do?"_

 _There was a dead silence in the cantina as everyone stared at the Caamas and the Jedi, both of whom were drunk and high o glitterstim._

 _Jango facepalmed as Naruto agreed breathlessly._

 _Then a cup hit the Caamasi. "I thought_ ** _I_** _was your partner in all things, you stupid, beak-faced creature!" The Sullustan looked just as drunk as the Jedi and Caamasi._

 _"Well, I found someone better!" The Caamasi turned to glare at the Sullustan, then turned back to Naruto. "I am Elekas A'Kla, a proud member of the Aka Tribe on Caamas."_

 _"I am Naruto Uzumaki of -"_

 _"Concord Dawn," Jango lied briskly. "She's my daughter," he said to the Caamasi._

 _"No. I will never accept this!" the Sullustan yelled, punching Naruto across the face._

 _Naruto flew back, crashing against the wall._

 _Jango didn't know whether to be impressed that the Sullustan was a hard hitter or to be concerned that Naruto was so easily flung back._

 _Naruto got up, her face murderous._

 _"Don't take Elekas away from ME!"_

 _"YOU?! She was MINE!"_

 _Jango stayed well away from the brawling duo, Elekas blinking stupidly. He slipped Elekas Naruto's communication number to Elekas._

 _Just then, the cantina door opened. Jango gulped quietly at the stormy eyes of Qui-Gon Jinn, Naruto's Jedi Master. Scary human._

 _"Naruto Uzumaki."_

 _Naruto froze as she went to punch the Sullustan's face._

 _"Jango Fett." Jango glanced up at him. "Come. Here."_

 _Jango got up and walked out, grabbing Naruto's arm._

 _She protested. Loudly. Jango refrained from smacking her._

 _~:~_

 _They ended up at the quiet diplomat center with soft music as everyone discussed whatever. Jango was forced out of his armor and Naruto was forced into robes worthy of a Jedi, meaning not filthy and smelling of drink._

 _Naruto ended up drinking some of the pink stuff and grinning._

 _It was even sweeter without the drugs._

 _Someone tapped her shoulder. Naruto turned._

 _Her face turned white and she screamed, dropping the glass of pink alcohol. She leaped up, managing to get to the ceiling without use of the Force, and clung there, hissing. She was hissing at a Givin, who stared at her for a long moment._

 _Jango collapsed into laughter._


	70. Chapter 70

Naruto opened her eyes, mortified beyond belief. And sad.

She didn't know what the point of this exercise was, really. Reliving memories that traumatize her? Not a great plan. It wouldn't - and hadn't - worked. At all.

She looked around the room, feeling well-rested. There was no sign of anything explicitly _wrong,_ but -

The door to the room opened, and an old man with a bandage over one eye stepped into the room, his cane hitting the ground rather ominously.

"So, _you_ are the reason the war has happened."

His voice was deep, and he did not sound like the old man he looked like.

"I had nothing to do with the war against the Zygerrian forces," Naruto answered, forcing herself to remain calm. Placid, even. Her hands remained open, and she felt little to no ill intent from the man. "Who are you?"

"I am Danzou. I will be executed for what I did to you, but I wanted to look you in the eyes and ask you if you're alright with me dying." Danzou stood in front of her, hands clasped over his cane.

"I..." Naruto paused. "I don't think I care." She did. She felt terribly guilty. But it was better to lie to him.

He smiled gently and walked to sit.

"I did not know you would carry Kurama's spirit in you. That was an unforeseen surprise. I was told that you would be the destruction of the Force."

"You were lied to, then," Naruto said boldly, standing as Danzou sat in the chair next to the desk. "Why did you tear my family apart?"

"I had my differences with the Third." Danzou leaned back. "I thought Force-sensitives wouldn't mix with non-Force sensitives, and I despised Kushina's husband Minato. A Changeling, whose genetics could very well bring the final end to Hagoromo's line."

"You seem to know a lot."

"I do," Danzou agreed. "It was my life's dedication to the lines of Hagoromo and Kaguya. Have the Jedi told you that you were never meant to be one?"

Naruto stared at Danzou for a long time.

"You lie."

"Itachi left the Order the eve of his fifteenth birthday, changed and erased his peers' and even his master's memories. You were seven at the time, nearly eight. The Order, since Hagoromo and Hamura, have agreed to get an Alterian-born Force-sensitive every ten years. They had agreed upon Itachi seven years before and wanted you before the time was up. The Force intervened and I gave you all up." Danzou did not look ashamed. "I thought what I did was best. I thought you were all dead - until I began hearing of your exploits with that outsider."

 _Anakin. Anakin and I made waves._

" _The Heroes Without Fear."_

"I _was_ afraid. Afraid that Anakin and I would get murdered and I wouldn't be able to come here." Naruto kept her tone light. "I was a Jedi first and the fight against the Separatists came first."

"And then the Sith Academy fight on Lokori. _That_ made a big wave. I wondered why the Force was allowing you to live, and I consulted my Sight specialist." Danzou stared at her. "The Force _wanted_ you gone so it misled my Seer."

Naruto prayed to the Force that the Seer was alive.

"After everything... Your father found me, amidst all my research." Danzou leaned forward. "You, Itachi, and the outsider's destinies are all entwined."

"No!" Naruto faked shock. "I didn't realize that!"

Danzou looked surprised. "Interesting. You already knew."

Naruto shook her head, disagreeing. "I had my own suspicions. What do you think is my place in the Force?"

"To change the Jedi." At her disappointed look, Danzou snorted. "Have you heard of the Voss Mystics?"

"I have," Naruto said cautiously. "I have heard of many Force-sensitive species in the galaxy that do not send their children to the Jedi."

"The Voss Mystics have the gift of prophecy. They did not adhere to the Jedi Code and remained split from them. Some Voss children find their way into the Jedi hands, mostly through trickery. One of my subordinates was retrieving such a child when he received a vision and painted it." Danzou stared at her, his expression indecipherable. "There are dozens of prophecies. The boy painted a series depicting three humanoids. None of them were too clear until the final one."

He took out a holoprojector, and Naruto saw a painting appear.

Her eyes widened in recognition at the thing facing the humanoid figure in a yellowish area. Different-colored suns were painted - each one painted a different color. The colors of the two krayt pearls she'd embedded in her lightsaber hilt.

"That's me, when I was facing the krayt dragon on Tatooine," she said blankly, mind reeling in shock.

"If you go into my base you'll find similar paintings. Quite a gifted artist." Danzou sounded mildly smug about that. "But here's the last part."

Her blood went cold as she saw the final painting.

She stood in the light. It was obviously her, down to the last whisker mark and lightwhip next to her, looking beyond fierce, haloed in literal _light._ Itachi was next, light fading into a gray then a dark, which Anakin stood, dark and menacing, one of his own eyes blue and one eye Sith-yellow.

She glanced at Itachi. One eye was his usual onyx - the one on the Light side - and the other one in the unique eye pattern it changed to when he used the Dark Side.

And Naruto herself had one red Kurama-like eye and one regular blue eye, red mixed in her hair.

 _Itachi the Gray, Anakin the Sith, and Naruto the Jedi._

She sat down.

"It's much more unsettling when you actually look at it," Danzou said. "You can sort of tell what happens."

"I don't think I want to know," Naruto admitted hoarsely.

"Depending on when you die briefly and how many times, you get your happy ending. I daresay a fairy tale ending."

"I don't _want_ a fairy tale ending!" Her temper flared. "I want everything to go to _peace._ "

Danzou said nothing.

The door opened, and a pale-skinned, leather-wearing boy entered. He was Naruto's age.

"Danzou-sama, you have run out of time."

Danzou nodded and stood with a sigh.

"Sai-kun. Do me a favor and move those paintings. I only want one to find your artwork, after all." He shot a meaningful glance over his shoulder at Naruto, who felt extremely sick.

As soon as his cane faded away, Naruto's eyes shot to the holoprojector and she summoned it to her. She hid it as she heard footsteps, and the scarred man stepped in and scowled.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Naruto opened her mouth, then helplessly shrugged.

"I don't know," she said honestly.

~:~

Kushina stepped into her home, tossing the keys to her fighter down.

Her children, Naruto's Padawan, and Naruto's adopted kid all looked at her with wide eyes.

Naruto's presence tickled at her senses, and Minato stepped in before her.

Naruto was just standing out there.

She entered behind Minato, smiling.

"Hi, everyone!" she said with a grin. "I passed! They said since I fought the Kazekage I was allowed to come back home without having to do the next phase."

Kushina smiled. "You are cleared to leave Alderaan when you have to," she said quietly. "The Jedi that came to aid me and my fleet are all alive and did their duties of keeping peace."

"Good," Naruto said. There was a hesitant look on her face, then it cleared. She withdrew a holoprojector, a portable one. "Mother, there was... A visitor, after my final Trial. His name was Danzou?"

The entire family paused. Karin's eyes went wide and her face paled. Tayuya choked on her food. Deidara dropped his water.

"I take it everyone knows him?" Naruto guessed. "He showed me this." She pressed the button to activate it, and a very vibrant picture came up.

Naruto silently set her lightsaber next to it, and everyone stared at the image of the two krayt pearls and compared them to the suns in the picture.

"That was how I faced the krayt dragon." She pressed the other button, and everyone seemed to hush even more than they were silent. "And this is... Well. I think it's clear."

The Light, the Gray, and the Dark.

"I don't think Master Skywalker will be Dark." Konohamaru's face was set.

"Sometimes people don't seem to have a choice," Kushina said with a troubled frown.

"Everyone has a choice," her daughter said flatly. "It's just that some people choose the easier choice."

~:~

Coruscant. Naruto sat back with a sigh. It looked like she'd left it. From someone who _liked_ trees over industrial buildings, Naruto felt almost claustrophobic now. She set the ship down on Itachi's private landing pad, then woke up Kono.

"Konohamaru, time to go."

Konohamaru nodded, standing up.

She exited her ship, then walked out to see Spark sitting there.

He beeped.

Naruto's eyes widened.

"The Council wants me to do _what?!"_


	71. Chapter 71

Seriously. Itachi was furious, and about to lose his temper. Xizor seemed to want to keep him there in a boring, endless meeting.

So when he checked his wrist, he knew he had to leave. He stood up and drew all eyes to him.

"Sorry to leave so soon," he said in a chilly voice.

"Something more important to do?" Xizor demanded.

"As a matter of fact..." Itachi paused. "Yes."

He allowed himself a victorious smirk.

~"~

Even with what haste she must have been dressed, she was dressed in a lovely white gown. Her hair, usually in a ponytail, fell around her shoulders, a crown braid circling her head.

She took her place, and the officiate spoke random words. Itachi allowed his scowl to soften a little, the hints of a smirk pulling up at his lips. He twitched his dominate right hand minutely, and her blue eyes widened before she looked hurt once more.

"Do you, Uchiha, take the Uzumaki as your bride?"

Itachi nodded. "I do." Sasuke's voice came out. He was lucky to have controlled the man's mind a little beforehand so this could happen. Madara, in the seats with so few witnesses, scowled a little in discontent.

"Do you, Uzumaki, take Uchiha as your husband?"

"I do," she said clearly.

"Then sign the marriage certificate again to prove yourselves in the eyes of Coruscant." Itachi blinked. The officiate, bless him, revealed nothing.

~:~

Naruto did not want to marry Sasuke because Sasuke was a bastard.

Walking down the aisle, she kind of wished that anyone _other_ than her few friends in the Council such as Master Tir, Obi-Wan, and Master Yoda were there. She definitely wished that her Padawan wasn't there, and Anakin wasn't.

She stepped up to the altar, her eyes upon the one person she did not want to spend the rest of her life hating.

She barely heard some of the words; instead she was focused on showing Sasuke her hurt.

Hurt that he'd do this to her.

But then his face softened, and his right wrist jerked.

Calm eyes stared at her.

Her eyes widened, and she forced herself to return her expression to the hurt she'd had.

"Do you, Uchiha, take the Uzumaki as your bride?"

"I do," Itachi said clearly (who else cold it be?).

"Do you, Uzumaki, take Uchiha as your husband?"

"I do," she said clearly.

"Then sign the marriage certificate again to prove yourselves in the eyes of Coruscant." Naruto signed it, and Itachi signed it as well. "With this certificate, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Naruto _finally_ recognized the voice. She'd done a mission with Quinlan Vos before, but didn't know him well enough to know why he'd dressed up as an officiate to marry them.

"Kiss!" the ex-Jedi said impatiently.

Naruto swallowed and looked at Itachi.

First kiss.

She leaned forward as Itachi cupped her face, then engaged her in a kiss.

"In the Force, you are recognized as married."

Naruto broke the kiss first, Itachi still looking like Sasuke.

"Drop it, please," Naruto finally whispered. "I can't handle you looking like him."

Itachi chuckled before dropping the illusion, causing everyone's Force signature to spike in surprise and - one signature was _smug._

"I'm glad it was you," Naruto admitted. "Sorry, but your brother? Living with him would've killed me."

"That's what they were going for," Itachi revealed. "I managed to track down Quinlan Vos and his lady friend - who isn't here - and he recently became a licensed officiate on Coruscant." Itachi was smirking a little bit. "Want to ditch this joint?"

" _Please,"_ Naruto begged.

Itachi smirked and swept her off her feet, holding her tightly. Naruto yelped, curling her tail around Itachi to hold onto him. Itachi darted out of the room, out of the apartment base, and into Coruscant. Numerous eyes stared as Itachi ran through the streets and his family members came after him.

Naruto laughed as she took in the quite murderous faces, then summoned her ship.

"YOU SLAVE-RIGGED YOUR SHIP?!" Itachi called over the rushing wind, the shouts behind them, and the roar of her ship.

"OF COURSE I DID, I HAD A BOUNTY HUNTER FOR MY ADOPTED DAD!" Naruto shouted back gleefully. Itachi jumped on, set Naruto down, and headed for the controls. Naruto remained on the ramp, lightsaber out and ignited and cheerfully waving. "GOODBYE, ITACHI'S FAMILY!" She shouted over the engines, cheekily waving at them.

She slipped up the ramp as they left, dropping by her quarters to change clothes quickly; satisfied after she had done so, the Jedi walked to the cockpit.

Itachi blinked at her. "Three months is the waiting period to get an annulment."

"Let's just focus on surviving," Naruto replied. "I'll probably need you to take my ship, though."

He blinked at her.

"I'm betting the Jedi Order will, effectively, ground my ass for this." She shrugged. "Means, though, I can do what I always wanted." She gestured to her stomach. "Get a tattoo. Right here."

Itachi gave her a small smile. "Your Padawan?"

"Will probably get sent to the Outer Rim sieges with another master." Naruto leaned over the console as Itachi set the ship down. "I... You're always welcome at your house," she smiled.

She left, and Itachi took off.

~:~

Her apartment was like an orphanage, to be honest. All the kids she'd adopted had no homes or families - Moegi's family had been killed by raiders on Christophsis. Anakin came by to hug her, drop off a Chiss kid and leave, and Naruto had taken full responsibility of the sullen ten-year-old Thrawn.

She did mundane things. The Jedi had forced her to wear a tracker bracelet so she didn't leave Coruscant, so she only could stay on planet and go random places.

So she did. She made sure her kids got to the Academy on time, then ventured down to the best tattoo parlor she could find.

Okay, maybe not the _best_ move, okay? But she'd been eager to do this since she'd seen the design in the Archives on Alteria. It was, according to the Archives, a way to improve concentration and one's link to the Force.

The tattoo... Did nothing. Nothing at all.

Still. It was great skin ornamentation.

~:~

Anakin walked into his sister's home and saw her laying on the couch in a solemn position. The couch itself was set out to look like a deathbed.

Naruto looked like she was having trouble not laughing.

"What's going on?" Anakin asked curiously.

Padme looked up, and Anakin blinked. He was aware his sister had been visiting Padme, but...

"Mother is dead!" Moegi gasped theatrically. "Mother has fought against the pain of her tattoo so valiantly that she can no longer work. This is her prayer ceremony."

"This is stupid," Thrawn muttered flatly.

Boba smacked him on the head, sniffling fakely.

"Shut up," he told Thrawn.

"Tattoo?" Anakin asked, lost.

Padme's assistant and decoy Sabe entered the room with cookies, wearing a gown as black as the others' clothes.

"It's mostly to make her husband flip out," Sabe said dryly. "Everyone thought it was a good idea. Apparently he'll be here in an hour."

Anakin blinked. "O...kay then. I'll just be going."

Sabe's eyes glinted, as did Padme's.

"Or not," Anakin shrugged. "I'll just wash up."

He hoped there was a window in the bathroom.

~:~

Itachi walked into his apartment to hear sobs and sniffles and small giggles.

He entered the room and his heart nearly stopped at the sight of Naruto lying there in a dramatic death pose.

"Oh my dear sister," Anakin began in a bland, monotonic voice. "How beloved were you when you passed from untimely overwhelming pain from your tattoo. Goodbye, and I hope you decide to -"

"Anakin _Skywalker."_ Why was Padme Amidala - ooooh. She was married to Anakin. Itachi had briefly forgotten.

Anakin cleared his throat and faked a sniffle. "Goodbye, my beloved sister."

"I hope you all have a good explanation for this," Itachi said, eyeing Naruto, who seemed to be fast asleep. "Naruto!"

No response.

Moegi poked Naruto.

No movement.

"HEY, HAG!"

Naruto opened her eyes. "BOBA, I TOLD YOU TO NEVER CALL ME HAG!" She remained laying down, though. Apparently it was comfortable.

"No, your mother told me to never call _her_ hag," Boba primly pointed out.

"This is so stupid," a blue kid said.

Why did the Chiss keep popping up?

"Who's the new kids?" Itachi asked Naruto out of curiosity.

"Moegi and Thrawn," Naruto responded, her blue eyes wide. "I have no idea why they did this." Moegi's smirk said otherwise, but Naruto shot her a discreet glare. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No," Itachi smiled. "I'm glad you're not bored while you're grounded."

"You got grounded?" Anakin asked in shocked.

"Master Windu didn't particularly like me running off with Itachi," Naruto told her brother absently. "Which is why my Padawan is being supposedly kept safe while fighting in the Outer Rim."

She was worried.

"Well." Itachi didn't know if his news could top everything, but... He'd try. "The Black Sun is officially under my control."

There was a shocked silence. Everyone turned to glance at him.

"Cool! Does that mean Xizor is dead?" Naruto asked curiously, turning her head to face him.

"Yep."

"Anakin, could you go get some cake and ice cream? Champagne, too, while you're at it."

"Are you _celebrating his death?"_ Padme asked, incredulous as everyone else in the room.

"Xizor wanted Naruto to be his wife," Itachi said flatly. "He used Alterian biology and her ignorance about Falleen pheremones and how they affected Alterians to try to sway her to be his wife, and he would have succeeded if, during the arena challenge that everyone had to fight for the death for, it had not been revealed that some of the occupants of the death arena had killed Jango Fett," Itachi revealed. Naruto closed her eyes as Boba's happy face slipped; Boba's smile returned in full force as Sabe and Padme nodded to each other and then looked at Anakin.

" _Get the items."_

Anakin ran out.


	72. Chapter 72

"Celebrating a birthday?" the person at the market said as the Ithorian slowly put away the cake and ice cream in a cooling bag, adding in a bottle of the champagne both Padme and Naruto liked in it. Anakin shook his head.

"Nah. A death of someone nobody liked."

The Ithorian froze and stared at him, appalled.

"Honestly, I wish I'd known about him," Anakin said, getting amusement out of the reaction. "Forcing my sister to marry him would've been really bad; killing her dad was the last straw." Anakin smiled at the market Ithorian, who looked petrified. "Now, she's grounded because she married the wrong guy... Thanks a lot, bye!" Anakin turned to see a horrified audience behind him. "Oh, come on! That guy was a bastard - head of a criminal empire!"

Some of them began nodding.

Anakin walked away, cheerfully whistling.

 _Why the_ fuck _did his sister get into so many weird situations?_

And why did he have to tell everyone about them?

Anakin sighed with frustration.

~:~

Fives of the 501st stumbled down an alleyway, his brother Kix by his side. Kix was also a clone, and he had made it his mission to get Fives help.

Mixer and Boil also followed, one ahead and one behind.

"Not far now," Mixer muttered. "General Uzumaki is a healer. Not a professional one like Kix, but a good one."

Fives groaned, his head killing him.

"He doesn't care about the damn details, just _get us there!"_ Kix snapped. "My platoon left ages ago, and General Skywalker or Commander Rex will be asking for us soon!"

"Here we are," Boil said suddenly. It was obvious, from the symbol on their General's Mandalorian armor she wore into battle. The one symbol they'd find carved very deliberately into her door.

Only One's team knew about this, as they were the closest to General Uzumaki.

Boil knocked twice.

The door opened just as he was about to knock a third time, the Jedi General making the door open and looking very asleep.

"Hmm?" she asked the four.

"Fives needs help," Kix said as Fives groaned again.

"Come in." She moved aside. "Uh, to the kitchen. Itachi's place isn't as big when it's holding a Senator and her clothes along with messy schoolkids and a couple that never sleep in the same room." The General looked like she'd fallen asleep in her clothes. "Clear off the table, shut the kitchen doors. I'll be in once I've cleaned up."

She disappeared. Boil and Mixer cleaned off half the table, and Naruto came in after ten minutes and swept her hand in the air, causing multiple objects to move through the air with ease. They were used to seeing it used, though not for mundane things like this.

"It's telekinesis. Something I've been training myself. Still getting the hang of it," the Jedi said, going a little red as they stared for a moment. Then she walked over to Fives and placed a finger on his sternum before taking it off and moving her hand in a wide arc. Kix watched her hands seemingly do nothing before looking up to tell her so, but then he saw something reflecting in her catlike eyes. He dropped his eyes, looking for reflective... Anything, then looked in her eyes again.

 _Her hands were glowing green in the reflection of her eyes._

Kix gaped, caught entirely off guard.

"His mind." General Uzumaki looked up at Kix. "Get me a long-distance holocommunicator. I need to speak to Lama Su."

~:~

Lama Su was expecting the call. The Kaminoan cloner entered the private holographic communications area quietly and shut down everything that would look suspicious.

"Master Jedi," he greeted smoothly.

The Jedi looked tired. "Honored one, I have a question on the clones."

"Of course. Whatever I can to assist."

"Chips. Were any placed in the neural network?"

"They are connected through harmless parasites we biogenetically engineered," Lama Su answered honestly. "The parasites can be removed with a signal relay and efficient timing."

"If needed to, could you walk me through and give me the frequency relay?"

"I'm afraid not. I did not place them there," Lama Su said apologetically. "All I know is that if you don't remove it, their coding will take place when a certain order is given."

"I'm trying to save a life and I _need_ a Kaminoan to help," the Jedi snapped. "Someone who may not know _exactly_ everything, but someone who knows enough to be able to get the frequency."

"A Senator might help," Lama Su said serenely.

The Jedi opened her mouth to snap, then closed it. "A Senator. Thank you, Lama Su."

Lama Su inclined his head regally.

"I do have a file that might help," he said as she moved her wrist. "Shall I put it through?"

"Yes," Naruto answered.

"It's in Kaminoan, so it's for the Senator."

Naruto stared at him, then shook her head. "Thank you. I'll owe you one."

"No," Lama Su corrected. "Think of this as repayment."

He ended the communication and slipped out of the room.

~:~

Halle Burtoni was in her office when the door opened and her Senate guards rushed forward to protect her, but were flung back in a single move.

They were just dazed, but Halle was alert and wary as the "grounded" Jedi Naruto Uzumaki entered with four clone troopers behind her, one limping.

She tossed her holopad onto Halle's desk.

"Fix them. Now."

Halle gulped as the Jedi's eyes flashed a murderous red.

"As you wish."

~:~

"Where is she?"

"I don't _know,"_ Sabe snapped at the Jedi Master. "she left in the middle of the night with a group of clone troopers. No idea where she went."

Moegi entered the room, Thrawn and Boba right behind her.

"What's going on?" Moegi asked sharply. Sabe frowned.

"Moegi, go back to Padme."

"No." Moegi glared icily at Windu. "You ground Mother, force her, a fighter, to stay on a single planet. She'll do anything to get off this place, even get imprisoned and sent to the Citadel."

Windu paled drastically.

"How did you know about this?"

"I'm secretly..." Moegi paused, Windu tensing. "A Sith Lord trying to overtake the universe." Her face was completely straight.

"And I'm her evil assistant," Boba added with a straighter face.

"And I'm here because I happened to be left alone on a planet that wasn't mine," Thrawn said boredly.

Sabe nodded. "And I'm forced to make cookies for them. Simply dreadful."

Windu blinked. "So... I'm guessing all of you must have learned it from Naruto."

"No, I kissed Konohamaru. He heard it from Naruto, who talked about it with Mr. Skywalker." Moegi frowned. "Who apparently heard it from a Luminara Unduli, who must've heard it from Master Yoda. Who must've heard of it because he took someone to the Citadel?"

"Okay..." Windu edged towards the door. "Am I to guess you do not, in fact, know where Naruto is?"

"I mean, I heard her say something about a Kamino, or something." Moegi shrugged. "I dunno."

Padme padded out from her room, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Senator!" Windu looked taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

"I lost my Senate apartment three weeks ago," Padme yawned. "Safer for me in a place with few windows, anyway."

That was true.

"What's the big idea, anyway?" Moegi demanded.

"Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Padawan Konohamaru Sarutobi are both in Coruscant Prison." Thrawn's jaw dropped in shock. Windu nodded, satisfied with their horrified looks. "In the same cell, since neither are a huge threat."

The three remained in stunned silence.

"If you see Naruto, please tell her to report to the Council. And to not throw herself in jail."

Moegi sighed and wiped her face.

~:~

Halle Burtoni wiped her hands, the helping droid and Jedi doing the same. They wiped it free of blood and took a look at the four unconscious clone troopers.

"Well, the operation was successful," Halle grudgingly admitted. "The parasites removed, different final coding implanted, and notes translated."

Naruto smiled. "That's great news." She took one step and went down, the adrenaline failing her and forcing her to sleep.

Halle sighed, slightly annoyed.

But the Kaminoan Senator was triumphant. She'd just found something to tell Amidala, to get Amidala on the Banking Clan's side.

 _There was an ulterior motive to creating the clones. The death of the Jedi._

Most of the Senate did not know the extent Jedi went to save the rest of the galaxy.

Perhaps Halle just wanted an excuse to not admit her own unethical behavior - what she and the group of Kaminoans had done -

Halle stopped that thought. She wasn't like that. She was with the Banking Clan.

Halle snapped her fingers at the medical droid to set Naruto up a bed.

~:~

Padme set her holopad down as her Senate office buzzer that indicated someone was there buzzed.

Threepio, the protocol droid Anakin had made when he'd been a slave (and was now a gift to her. Possibly because she'd technically given him Artoo? Padme shrugged mentally), pressed the button to allow the guests in.

Naruto burst in, and Padme slid the wanted pass to her.

"Orn Free Ta gave me that."

The... Hungry Senator had given her the pass in case there was any mysterious matters she needed to attend to with any of the prisoners in the main area of Coruscant.

 _Why_ Ahsoka had been arrested, nobody knew yet.

According to the Council, it was a matter of probable treason.

"Thank you," Naruto said, giving her a grateful smile.

"Senator Amidala." Padme stiffened. Naruto walked out, giving Senator Burtoni a nod.

"Senator Burtoni. What do I owe this pleasure?"

The member of the Banking Clan gave her a wide smirk.

"The reason the Banking Clan will not empty its vaults."

~:~

Chancellor Palpatine frowned. Nothing was going to plan! The death of the boy's wife would be enough to turn the boy, but he could not find the girl's weakness in the Force. All he knew was that the allegiance of the Black Sun that he had once commanded was no longer his, Xizor's forces that had been backing him gone. No word.

The Dark Side visions he had? Jokes. Lottery tickets. It was like both Sides were clouded.

Palpatine closed his eyes as he gazed out at the skyline.

He had always craved power. He knew he would not be able to stave death off for long if the Jedi won.

Nor would he be able to manipulate reality to his liking.

The Voss Mystics stayed impartial, the Nightsisters did not get involved with anyone, and the Bardottans did not interfere with the Jedi OR the Sith.

He had to find a way to get the boy on his side. He was running out of time, and he didn't want to lose everything.


	73. Chapter 73

Konohamaru paced in his cell as he thought. Ahsoka was in her bed, looking far more worried than he was. A carrier appeared, carrying his master back with him.

"Master!"

Ahsoka looked up with a shaky smile as the orange force-field died and Konohamaru's Master stepped in.

Naruto held out her arms as the force field returned and the clone remained, ready to take the Alterian Jedi back to the entrance.

"Konohamaru." She hugged him. Then she turned to Ahsoka, her blue eyes hopeful.

"Hug?" she asked the other.

Ahoska hugged her tentatively, tearing up slightly when she felt the warmth that emanated from Naruto. Whether or not it was just imaginary or her body warmth Ahsoka could feel (because when she wasn't wearing loads of clothes, Naruto brought a lot of heat into a room), she still felt warm.

Naruto released her when Ahsoka did.

"Alright, kids." Naruto bent down. "I managed to time it right."

"Time what -"

Light flickered and died.

Naruto grabbed her Padawan and Ahsoka, knowing they didn't exactly have anything else on them, and shoved them outside. The clone trooper piloted them to the entrance, and Naruto tugged them out. The trooper followed them for some reason.

"Um... Master, did you and a clone just help us break out of jail?"

"Everyone, meet Kickshot," she introduced distractedly. "Part of my command unit."

"Last one alive," Kickshot interjected. "Boil and Mixer were part of General Skywalker's before you swiped them. And then he swiped them back... And now they're gone."

"They're in the Senate building," Naruto said flatly. "Where we're headed. In a few hours, anyway. Kickshot, you just helped us commit sorta-treason, so follow me if you don't want to be seen when the lights come on."

The three followed her.

~:~

Not an hour later, Naruto walked into the Jedi Temple. Nobody stared at her, because she was wearing the Jedi robes.

That and she had a Force Illusion all over her, making her look nonexistent. The Jedi walked into a room with zero Jedi and the lightsabers of her students, and walked out and passed Master Windu.

She figured she had about thirty seconds, so she walked up the nearest flights of steps and onto the rooftop.

The Temple Guards were standing all epic-ly around the edge, lightsabers out and not yet ignited.

They couldn't see her. They knew she was there.

She dropped the illusion.

They ignited their blades.

Naruto ignited her Padawan's blade, clipping Ahsoka's to her belt with her own. She was lucky to have changed in her armor - much less chance of being killed.

Naruto rushed forward, intending on striking - but she jumped to strike and used the Force to make her go higher, sailing off the edge.

She angled herself towards the cab she'd told to wait at the nearest side entrance, and fell on it.

The cab driver looked up, stunned, and she made a gesture for _hurry up and go._

He ignored every skylane and _got out of there._

Naruto hung on with one hand, clipping the lightsaber to the other. Digging out some credits, she crawled over to the side and knocked on the window.

He lowered it a little.

"STOP!" she yelled.

He stopped.

"I'll get off here!" she told him happily. "Here's your credits!"

She handed him like twice the amount.

She leaped off the cab and onto the walkway, running and making certain the holocams got her before she put up a Force Illusion.

She hightailed (no pun intended) it to her apartment, everything ready to sneak into the Senate building.

~:~

Getting in was easy. Staying quiet was hardly something she could do when Itachi was literally around the corner and scaring the shit out of Naruto.

A high-pitched scream exited her throat and was only cut off by his hand.

"Do you _want_ to get us all caught?" Itachi hissed angrily.

"I made sure they got _me,_ not _you,"_ Naruto returned scathingly.

"And that was dumb," Itachi snapped.

"I hardly think two _Padawans_ would be a great look for the Jedi!" Naruto snapped. "Placing two children in Coruscant's highest secure facility was a shitty idea, and even more shitty than that would be allowing them to take the heat! I took it because I want to find out what really happened!"

"Barriss." Ahsoka's shaky voice made Naruto turn. "Barriss showed us to a load of bombs, and we used the Force to shut them off, but then when the Jedi came to see, Barriss must have used the Force to make it look like we were turning the bombs _on."_

Fury boiled in Naruto's sternum.

"I suppose we'll just have to show her that her treason will only go so far."

~:~

Barriss Offee shivered as she moved through the Temple. She spotted a master around and ducked out of sight, never noticing the one tailing her.

She moved into the Archives, using the Force to get into the Vault. She'd made it two steps before the Vault was suddenly beyond her reach as she was pulled back violently.

She was met with a flash of yellow, Sith-like eyes.

 _Tell him._

She ignored common sense and ran out from the Archives, heading to the regular section - her master was almost pathetically blind to her deceptions. Hiding with Luminara -

\- the _snap-hiss_ of an extending lightsaber drew her attention, and Barriss Offee barely managed to block her master's blade.

 _What?_

Luminara's sorrowful eyes met hers.

"Why have you gone so astray?" Luminara questioned.

"The Jedi are full of -" Barriss dodged Master Skywalker's sweeping blade. "- liars and hypocrites!"

"Possibly," Luminara nodded. "But we follow a Code."

Barriss backflipped.

"A Code that is flawed and outdated." Barriss laughed hysterically. "Your sister treats the Code like it's flawed!" She pointed to Master Skywalker.

"My sister does whatever the Force tells her," Skywalker said evenly. "You chose to do this out of revenge."

Barriss tilted her head.

"Did I?" she mused. "No. I hate the Jedi!"

Luminara reeled back as if struck.

Barriss fled.

~:~

"...in other news, the Jedi have publicly arrested the one responsible for the explosion, and power is back on. Jedi Master Uzumaki Naruto and Padawans Ahsoka Tano and Sarutobi Konohamaru are hereby cleared of any charges." The Holonet went on to chatter about the war and the bill that was coming up.

"How nice," Naruto said.

Her comm unit beeped.

"Jedi calling. See you all later." She didn't need to tell them to get to the Academy on time or anything; they knew the drill.

Still, she paused by Thrawn to give him a reassuring smile.

"Have fun, okay?"

Thrawn scowled. "Just _go,_ lady."

~:~

Naruto stood in front of the Council, despite technically being a master.

"The Chancellor was kidnapped."

There was a stunned silence.

"Count Dooku and Greivous are out there."

"Who's Greivous?" Naruto whispered to Anakin.

"A mechanical dick," Anakin whispered back, Ahsoka choking on her spit in front of them and Konohamaru twitching a little. "He's also killed several Jedi in the three months you've been absent and become the second most horrifying threat."

Naruto nodded her understanding.

"Now, as you're all aware, we must take caution and bring Dooku to the Senate," Windu said flatly. "As much as I dislike having to give this task to the five of you alone, the Council needs to remain here."

There was a silence. Plo Koon was staring at Windu like he was a madman.

"Yeah, whatever," Naruto finally said. "I dislike you too, Master Windu. Master Yoda." She bowed her head to the master, then walked out, tail swishing haughtily behind her.

"You do know it's going to be a space battle, right?" Anakin snorted at his sister's back.

Naruto froze and paled. "What?"


	74. Chapter 74

"I still have no clue how to pilot this thing," she said.

"Let the Force guide you, young Master," Obi-Wan said, his voice amused through the network of communications.

"Obi-Wan? Shove a sock in it."

"Everyone briefed on the plan?" Gold Leader questioned through the headsets.

"Clear, Gold Leader," Anakin said. "Jedi Squadron, ready for launch."

"I still say we should have been 'General Squadron'. Less of a joke that way," Naruto said flatly.

"Master, we should have been 'Alterian Squadron'. More Alterians here on this team." Konohamaru's cheerful voice sounded a little strained.

"Technically, we're Alderaanians. And if we were going by -" Naruto was interrupted.

"Cut the chatter, Jedi Three and Five," Anakin ordered briskly. "Let's get on with this."

"Fine. Final systems check, done. All systems normal. Gold Leader?"

"Squadron ready to fly."

"Alright, Jedi Squadron. Let's go save the Chancellor."

"...are you sure we can't just elect a new chancellor?" Naruto's whispered comment went unheard. She scowled and buckled in. "Spark. Let's do this."

Her astromech beeped.

~:~

Shaak Tii stared out at the clones, thinking deeply.

Most of these clones would ship out to unknown places before the next rotation.

She sighed to herself.

Lama Su entered the room behind her.

"Master Jedi, an unexpected development has occured. All clone troopers are to go into surgery within the next hour." He went to leave, but Shaak stopped him.

"Why?"

"Well, there is coding in them that has been giving them nightmares and making them think you were the enemy," Lama Su answered truthfully.

The bounty hunters helping with the training both stared at Lama Su, like the Jedi, with shocked stares.

"I see." Shaak Tii nodded. "When will they be ready for transport to the Outer Rim?"

"By my guess, they must have a half year of rest." The Kaminoan gave Shaak Tii a smirk that took the master aback. "By then, I assume that they will no longer be truly necessary; we have stopped the creation and have stored the DNA we have used."

Shaak Tii nodded distractedly. "Very well." She turned to look at the clones. "I suppose I must return to face the consequences of my actions on Coruscant."

She felt no dread; in fact, she was at peace with what may come.

~:~

"Keep going, I've got your back!" Naruto shot at the droid ship on Gold Leader's back, then went straight up, turning the ship upside-down and then back rightside up (or what her usual center of gravity was) and shot at the droid that had been on her tail.

"Buzz droids!" Gold Six called out, swerving and completely dodging the field of buzz droids. Naruto twisted as fast as she could, opening her mouth for a quip before she stopped, her eyes becoming unfocused.

In her mind and outside, on the communication device, there were warning shouts.

But Naruto was only focused on her brother.

She accelerated, narrowly missing the vulture droid. She jumped out of her ship before she landed, making it crash. Naruto followed Artoo, hastily connecting her lightsabers.

~:~

"Do you have a plan 'B'?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin dryly.

"Yes." Anakin nodded his head. "Artoo will be along in a moment to free us."

Artoo came screaming in.

Naruto followed after him, shoving something down her shirt, under her armor-plated top.

"What are you doing here?" Anakin asked her, knowing that if she knew what he'd done - if Obi-Wan knew and didn't just assume that Dooku died of his own stupid mistake -

Naruto's blue eyes met his. "I -"

She didn't get to talk. Droids came from every doorway; the ray shield keeping him, Obi-Wan, and the Chancellor locked in that little area dropping.

There was no room to escape, no room to draw their lightsabers. Naruto must have hidden - _oh._

She put her hands up.

~:~

"General Greivous." Grievous looked at the shortest Jedi Master he had yet to meet. "I had heard of you, though it did not quite click. I was expecting you to look quite a bit different." The Alterian Jedi smiled at him ferally.

"And you - the Angel of Mercy. I have heard of you through many bounty hunters."

"An angel? Quite flattering. I am far from a native of Iego, though, so do not expect me to accept such a title." Greivous laughed, then coughed.

"Killing Dooku was an unexpected move." Greivous noted how two of the Jedi looked sharply at the third - the Hero Without Fear, and one of the warriors Greivous indeed knew to respect. "However, you will not take the Chancellor."

"If you wanted him, I can give him to you," offered the Alterian Jedi, never missing a beat.

Every single droid and Nemoidian on the ship turned to her. Her allies did the same.

"Excuse me?" Greivous growled.

"No, seriously," the Alterian cheerfully said. "Keep him. We don't want him."

She shoved the Chancellor forward.

"Is this a ploy -"

"You are _trying_ my patience, insignificant creature,"the Alterian Jedi snarled, her eyes flashing red. "Either take him and let us free, or DIE!"

Greivous barely managed to dodge her furious saber slash.

~:~

Ahsoka watched with horror as the ship was rent in two, leaving one half to freefall into Coruscant's gravity.

"Ahsoka."

It may have been broadcast to the other squads, but she still answered.

"What, Konohamaru?"

"You know he'll be fine. They're always fine."

No. Ahsoka knew for a fact that her master was _not_ always fine. On Mortis -

Ahsoka cut her thoughts off. Mortis was in the past, after all, despite it having been a month ago and still fresh in her memory.

"Not always," she found herself whispering, her future self's words still in her mind - _if you remain his Padawan, you will not live to see your future!_ Anakin's anger and Sith-ness when Son had -

 _No!_ Ahsoka pinched her arm, that flash of pain distracting her for a moment again.

Konohamaru was silent.

"I think in the end, that's how they are."

Ahsoka bit her lip. Anakin _hadn't_ been the evil one in the end.

"Yeah, maybe."

~:~

Landing the ship was not easy. Especially when Kurama was involved and forcing her to do something that was entirely _opposite_ of what Naruto needed to do.

"Another happy landing," Obi-Wan grinned, pushing hair back.

Naruto forced a smile.

Her astromech trundled in, and she walked out, Anakin looking down.

~:~

The Chancellor lingered, until Obi-Wan cleared his throat. The Chancellor got the hint.

"Anakin."

Anakin looked up at his master.

"I know what happened on Mortis was not ideal."

Anakin's eyes widened in shock.

"You have no idea what happened when -" He broke off awkwardly.

"When I went evil and Son basically made me his bitch?" Anakin bluntly asked. "Father didn't erase my memory of it, but he did want to." Obi-Wan stared at him. "That didn't really affect me too much - I think." Anakin took a breath. "Losing Ahsoka did."

And being the inadvertent killer of Father and Son -

Son's last words to him made zero sense to him, even now.

 _Little sisters know best._

"Loss..." Obi-Wan paused. "I'm supposed to say you should forego all attachments."

"Have you?" asked Anakin, for the first time in a while.

Obi-Wan snorted.

"If I had, Anakin, I wouldn't be talking like this to you."

Obi-Wan stood, leaving Anakin alone with Artoo.


	75. Chapter 75

Anakin met Naruto on the platform to see the Senators.

"Naruto, I'm sorry."

She looked at him with surprise.

"I killed Dooku - I was angry, and he'd hurt Obi-Wan. I thought - I thought it was the right thing to do." He paused.

"I don't hate you," she said, giving him a weird look. "I felt it when you killed Dooku and hurried over there. It's fine now, we're not facing that anymore."

Anakin lifted an eyebrow.

"Everything's changed, Anakin." Her voice was tired. "It's only been, what, two years?"

"Three. If your talking about the war." Anakin shrugged at her astounded look. "Standard time on Coruscant, anyway. Time gets screwed when you're traveling in space."

"I see." Naruto looked impressed. "Okay. Well. Three years. We've changed. Grown. We're different. We change. And - yeah, I was a bit upset about you killing Dooku." She paused. "Just promise me one thing."

"What?" Anakin had no idea of what she was going to ask.

"Don't trust the Chancellor."

She walked off to the side, meeting Padme - Anakin walked over to Padme as well, wondering why she was asking that of him.

The Chancellor hadn't led him wrong yet. But Naruto didn't like him, and when Naruto disliked someone it was usually for a reason (the reason for her hating Mace Windu was because he was a jerk), so he silently promised himself that he would be careful.

"Anakin!" Padme looked like she was getting bigger in the stomach area. Anakin drew her into a hug. "I have news - you've been gone for a while, so I wasn't able to tell you." She was glowing - so happy about something. Naruto was smiling so wide it _almost_ looked fake.

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant," Padme said.

Anakin froze. Then he turned to a manically grinning Naruto.

"Did you know about this?"

Naruto snorted. "No, Anakin, she was living in my home and I _totally_ didn't notice."

Her sarcasm made Anakin twitch a little.

"I wanted her to tell you on her own," Naruto admitted. "Without me having to mention it."

"Are you okay?" Padme looked quite worried. "I mean, there's only one person who knows, and it's Senator Organa. I mean, other than your entire household." She glanced at Naruto apologetically.

Naruto shrugged.

"I guess that means Senator Clovis won't be returning any time soon?" Anakin asked with hope.

"He's still in the Confederacy," Padme said, irritation on her face. "I still don't know what made you so jealous!"

"He was flirting with you!" Anakin exclaimed - then shut his mouth as it echoed through the Senate hall and his sister winced in pain. "Sorry. I'm just saying, he was flirting with you and you didn't even _notice."_

"I noticed," Padme said flatly. Then she smiled. "I'm glad you got jealous."

His sister made a face, and Padme turned to her.

"Heard anything from _your_ husband?"

To Anakin's surprise, his sister flushed a dark red before averting her eyes and looking at the ceiling. "Itachi and I agreed during the whole 'fugitive' thing that we'd give _this,_ whatever _this_ is, a try."

"Wow," Anakin laughed. "You do know since Master Vos left the Order him doing the ceremony makes it an invalid ceremony. Right?"

Naruto shot him a mortified look. "Oh, stars." She was bright red. "We're still - um. Well. It was an idea, but I guess -"

"I am _not_ trying to get you to stop dating him," Anakin told her after a long moment of trying to figure out why she was blushing and stumbling. "Give it a try."

"What a try?"

Naruto blushed even deeper as Itachi came out of nowhere, his onyx eyes piercing Anakin's with a gravity that froze the younger Force-adept to the core.

"Nothing," Anakin lied. "Padme, where are you headed?"

"To oversee the new bill, citing some of the reasons that we cannot sustain more clones," Padme answered immediately. "Senator Burtoni is listing evidence now."

"What a coincidence," Itachi said smoothly. "I was headed to Senator Burtoni to act as protection."

Anakin found it odd that the Head of Black Sun - a _crime_ syndicate - was playing _bodyguard_ for a Kaminoan Senator.

"Why?" Naruto's blush had receded now that she was looking directly _at_ Itachi.

"Because I _do_ have to pretend I'm not who I am. It's either that or constantly find myself hunted by assassins all times of the day."

"Oh... Right." Naruto looked kind of disappointed.

"I'm going to have to start sending Sabe to these meetings," Padme said with a regretful sigh. "I can't keep wearing such large dresses. Soon it will be noticeable." Itachi glanced at her stomach for a moment.

"You know, you're carrying -"

He was cut off by Naruto jabbing him in the ribs with an elbow, smiling blandly as he bent over and wheezed.

"You're... Much stronger."

"I've never hit you," Naruto said in a sweet tone. "Padme probably wants the gender to be a surprise." She glared at Itachi darkly for a long moment.

"Master Skywalker." Bail Organa approached Anakin, ignoring Itachi and Naruto's presences. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, my apologies," Anakin said. "Are you coming, too?"

Naruto shrugged. "With Senator Amidala. I'm her unofficial protector when I'm on Coruscant."

~:~

"They are working hard to fix the coding," Senator Burtoni said to the Senate. "I urge the people of the Republic to remain calm while we do our work."

"So more worlds can be overrun? Where are the Jedi in this?"

"I have one that will speak as a Jedi Master," Padme said.

Naruto stepped up. Itachi noticed she looked confident.

"The Outer Regions are the main battle places," she said flatly. "The Inner and Core worlds are being held; those planets that have not joined the Sep - the Confederacy of Independent Systems."

"The Senate recognizes the Jedi," the bureaucrat said in a monotone.

"The Jedi work tirelessly every day to keep the peace."

"And yet," one of the Trade Federation pointed out, "not all of you are on the Outer Rim."

"Unfortunately, some Jedi must remain to protect our secrets," Naruto countered. "Would you leave your home undefended? The same concept applies here."

"The only thing you protect are weapons!" the Nemoidian protested.

"We protect the secrets of the _Jedi,_ not weapons," Naruto quickly dismissed.

"Then how do you make your lightsabers? You obviously -"

"Our lightsabers are _made by us,"_ Naruto said sharply. "You like us when we are considered invincible, but now that there is a visible record of a Jedi traitor you think we are weak and consider us a threat? Interesting theory. We defend the Senate, defend the _Republic_ , because we practice the same laws that govern the non-Jedi as much as we keep to our own Code." Itachi felt a surge of pride in his chest for her - and he felt a creeping terror coming from her.

The longer she stood there, the longer she was scared.

"Master Jedi," the Chancellor said, his voice placating, "those of the Trade Federation do not question the Jedi. Some of your actions have been made public, and the Senate is simply concerned -"

"I make the choices required to fulfill my duty," Naruto said, her terror vanishing and an anger burning in her. "If you do not like those choices, then I will refrain from doing them."

There was a cold anger simmering in her voice, one that made some of the Senate look at each other nervously.

"If you ask me our secrets, I will not tell you," she said, glancing at the Trade Federation. "Ask Grandmaster Yoda, who is the only one capable to speak for the Jedi."

"And yet Master Yoda is not here today."

"As far as I am aware, I was not called to speak for the Jedi," she shot back at the apologetic-looking Chancellor. "If you wish for me to defend any of my actions, tell me of which actions you refer to."

"Telling Greivous he could have the Chancellor, for one," another Senator, Tendau Benton of Ithor, said, his Basic deep and annoyed.

"That was merely a ploy," Naruto said, her face perfectly straight. "Of course we need the Chancellor. I was simply telling Greivous he could have the Chancellor as a bluff, which worked. Greivous got away, but Dooku is dead."

"Killing Dooku was also not part of your duty," Benton continued. "He was supposed to have a fair trial."

"He was a Sith Lord, and I was not the one to kill him," Naruto said. Itachi frowned a little.

"This matter is ridiculous!" proclaimed Burtoni, stopping any further escalation. "We were called here for a Senate meeting. The hearing of the Jedi can wait another day until this matter we are here to actually solve IS solved!"

Padme stepped forward once more, only to guide the pod to the doorway and connect with it. Itachi watched her leave, and tension seemed to leak out of the atmosphere.

~:~

Naruto remained in the Temple. It was mostly because there was no true reason for her to leave, other than to go home at night. It wouldn't help the Jedi.

So, Itachi appearing beside her as she worried over her Padawan being gone was strange, especially since she'd been hanging in the temple for about a month now.

Not unwelcome, however. And Anakin was there.

Good. Naruto ignored Itachi for a moment as she finished her studying.

"Naruto."

Naruto help up a finger and then tapped the screen, finishing the lesson. She was learning a new language since she was bored, had zero assignments... And, well, everything.

"I have something to show you." She took the holoprojector out and activated it.

Anakin sucked in a shocked breath.

Itachi looked up at him.

"You know this?"

"That's when she was fighting the krayt dragon on Tatooine."

Naruto flicked her wrist, going to the next painting.

Anakin reeled back, looking shocked.

"Hm. Whoever drew this is an excellent artist." Itachi glanced at her. "Alterian?"

"His name is Sai, and he was a subordinate of Danzou." Itachi froze and stared at the painting like it was toxic. Anakin looked curious. "And Danzou, Anakin, is the dude that sold me." Anakin stared at her. "And my siblings."

Anakin had nothing to say to that.

"So... You think it will come to pass?"

Naruto bit her lip.

"I know it has." Naruto shrugged. "You're halfway into the Dark, Itachi, and Anakin... I know Anakin." She smiled at her brother reassuringly. "I know what happened with Dooku."

"Then why did the Senate openly accuse you of killing him?" Anakin questioned. "The Chancellor was _right there."_

"Well, everyone knows I hate the Chancellor," Naruto said in a bitter tone. "But nobody will care unless I have _proof,_ and my color-sight isn't proof."

"No, but this painting does give insight to the 'Chosen One' prophecy," Itachi said. "I think. I have a theory."

"It must be bunnies," Naruto muttered.

Itachi sighed. "Please tell me you did not spend three months at home, watching that old holodrama."

"I don't think _Buffy_ is a holo _drama,"_ Naruto sniffed. "And the Corellians did an _excellent_ job on that show."

"Back on track," Anakin interrupted. "I've been having visions."

Both Naruto and Itachi snapped to attention.

"What kind of visions?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Death visions of... Padme dying in childbirth." Anakin frowned. "She's five months along now, and she's happy, and I even went to Master Yoda to talk, but he said I had to _let go of my attachments."_

"There's something wrong with him," Naruto decided. "He likes me and all, but I think the old ways are outdated."

"That's partially why I got excommunicated," Itachi said dryly. "Be careful who you say it to."

"You got excommunicated?" Anakin whispered, as though Madam Jocasta would hear him and throw Itachi out. "Why are you here?"

"He _is_ my husband," Naruto pointed out, feeling a blush rise on her face. Her ears struggled to flatten, but she made them stay up and forced the blush down. "But even if he wasn't, he _did_ need to know this."

She leaned back, stretching. Her black tattoo showed very clearly on her skin.

"I like your tattoo. Isn't it supposed to improve concentration to reach the Force faster?" Itachi mused.

"Maybe," Naruto shrugged. "Anakin, you'll be careful around the Chancellor, correct?"

"Of course," Anakin said quickly. Naruto turned to Itachi, who waved his hand.

"I've never met him," Itachi answered. "Approaching him as an emissary as the Black Sun will be easy."

"Okay." She took the holoprojector off the table.

Itachi stood and left the Temple, and Anakin went back to pretending to scour the shelves.

Or maybe he really was. Naruto didn't know.

~:~

"We grant you a seat on the Council," Master Windu said to him. "But we don't grant you the rank of Master."

Naruto was the one to object. "Masters, _I_ was only given the rank of Master so I could get to Alteria. If I may -"

"We do not officially allow you on the Council, either, Master Uzumaki," Mace cut across her. "However, we do allow you to sit next to Skywalker."

Fair enough, but Anakin still felt angry that he was not given the rank of master.

Naruto's blue eyes glared into his brown, telling him to _suck it up and accept it._


	76. Chapter 76

"Why? _Why don't they let me on the Council as a Master?!"_

"Anakin -"

"At least _you're_ a Master!"

"I was only given the title so I could spy on my own people." Anakin sighed, annoyed.

"It's different! They're having me spy on the Chancellor. And I know you agree with that - don't try to deny it." Anakin curled his fist.

"I do agree with spying on the Chancellor." Anakin felt betrayal. "I just don't think that you're the one that should do it."

"Why, _oh-wise-one?"_ he snarled at her. Her eyes flashed red.

"Your anger is _irrational,_ **boy.** Suck it up and stop snapping like a **child,"** Kurama snapped at him before withdrawing.

"Tell me why," Anakin urged. Naruto hesitated.

"He can block it easier, but not completely." Naruto leaned on her elbows. "I saw red. His... Force inclination was pure red. And you know..."

 _Little sisters know best._

It was starting to make sense. Anakin turned away from her, looking over the never-ending city of Coruscant, deep in thought.

~:~

The Chancellor decided to take the risk. The boy was suffering from sleeplessness, and he knew that Padme and Anakin were married. It hardly took a genius. And Anakin was _not_ a genius.

"The Dark Side can save your wife." The Chancellor again took a gamble. "It doesn't _have_ to corrupt you. It hasn't corrupted me."

He laughed inside of him. All the Dark Side touched corrupted.

Anakin glanced at him, his eyes suddenly yellow before fading.

 _Close._

He took another risk. "Your sister, too. Her time is coming to an end."

Oh, yes. His little gift consisting of a certain Uchiha family.

"I can show you."

Anakin left, no doubt to tell the Council.

~:~

Naruto stepped out, her senses going haywire as weapons came at her from all directions.

Throwing herself to the Force, she dodged every weapon that tried to hurt her, not getting enough time to take out her lightsaber. She reached for it, looking down against everything screaming at her not to, and was shoved against the wall. Her hands jolted, and she looked up into Sasuke's eyes.

"I don't hate you," Sasuke said, his tone low. "For whatever this is worth, I'm sorry."

He shoved the knife in her stomach, slicing down.

~:~

 _There were a hundred possibilities that could have happened as the precious hours passed. She could have been dead minutes later, she could have survived long enough to reach out to Anakin, but not to see him again._

 _Either way, the Force decided to intervene._

~:~

Naruto stood up and pinched her stomach together. She stumbled to the railing, hailing a cab.

"Senate Building," she ordered. "And give me your vest, please."

The driver gave her his vest, and she tore it lengthwise. Quickly, she put it around her stomach, knotting it in the back so it wouldn't pull at her inner organs which had been on the verge of spilling out.

"Thanks," she said, handing him some credits. "I'm dying, okay?" she snapped at his pointed look at the credit counter. "I don't have time to give you exact credits."

She got out and ran up, careful not to jostle her wound, and withdrew her lightsaber.

~:~

 _Again, the possibilities were endless. She could have been forced by an Aqualish to get to the hospital and into a bacta tank. She could've let herself be healed, and she could have lived in ignorance about how it was going to go down. She could have felt the masters die._

 _But the Force chose none of those._

~:~

"Where did the masters go?" she shouted, ignoring the blood spreading on her body. Senators pointed towards the Chancellor's office.

Naruto burst in, looking haggard and mad and bloody and downright _pissed._

For the first time in her own life, Naruto took on the characteristics of Kurama without _being_ Kurama.

She pressed a hand to her side, the three non-wounded members in the office staring at her.

"Anakin _SKYWALKER,_ WHAT DID I TELL YOU?" She yelled at him. "DON'T TRUST THE GUY WHO WANTS TO KILL US ALL!"

"Um..." Anakin looked terrified. :"I don't think you ever told me that."

The Chancellor moved, throwing Mace Windu back and clicking something - a holocommunications device!

"Execute Order Sixty -"

Naruto screamed and kicked him in the face, snatching the device out of his hands.

"DO NOT EXECUTE THAT LAST ORDER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!" She yelled before crushing it. She sliced down with her blade, but was kicked back - right on her wound.

She blacked out for a second, hitting the wall and sliding down it as she became aware.

Anakin seemed less inclined to kill Mace Windu and even joined the battle against Palpatine.

Naruto pinned the Chancellor to the ceiling.

"All of this -"

She slammed him against the floor.

 _"- was your fault!"_

Jango, One - everyone in the damn galaxy who had suffered at the hands of the Sith - Rage was flooding through her, making it harder and harder to keep focus.

But then Asura spoke to her.

 **"Calm down. It's going to be okay."**

She shoved Palpatine back. He flew out the window and vanished, when they went to check on him.

"He's gone," Naruto said through ragged breathing.

"Yes," agreed Anakin. "But where is he going?"

"Alteria," Naruto said as a hazy vision passed over her eyes of her burning home. She closed her eyes and extended her mind to connect with Itachi's.

 _Itachi, Palpatine is going to Alteria. Why?_

 ** _I don't know... Perhaps he wants revenge on her? I'll pick you up by the Chancellor's window._**

 _I hope you have a bacta tack on your ship._

Naruto kept her eyes open and peeled for Itachi's ship while Windu made the call to Senator Organa.

"Clear the airspace for the Jedi to go through on Alderaan," he ordered.

"Yes, Master Jedi," Organa said through the comm unit.

~:~

Anakin paced in front of his sister's room on Itachi's ship.

She was in there, currently floating in bacta, and Anakin felt terrible.

Why Palpatine was going after her home was a mystery, and Anakin was hoping so badly that nothing happened to her family.


	77. Chapter 77

Jiraiya glared at Palpatine.

"How dare you come here," he snarled, launching a series of Alterian techniques that utilized the planetary Force. Fire roared from Jiraiya's mouth as he simultaneously used water to shoot at Palpatine.

Minato's presence distracted him. Fatally.

Jiraiya twisted to shout at Minato, leaving himself way open.

Palpatine cackled as he shoved his lightsaber into Jiraiya's body.

Minato froze. "Jiraiya-sama!"

~:~

Minato had a choice. Turn tail and run, or fight.

Well. He may not have had the Force, but he did have Kushina's violet lightsaber.

He turned it on.

"You're not Kushina... Leave, and I will let you live."

"I won't let you touch my wife, _bastard,"_ Minato spat.

Kushina had warned him... She had warned him of the deal she had once made with Palpatine. The deal that started everything.

She had promised him a child, a child who would be used to the Dark Side. Who would _use_ the Dark Side. But when she had overheard him and Danzou, she ignored his threats and didn't tell him about Karin. And Danzou had taken them after seeing his Seer about the children.

Minato did not blame his wife.

And every strike he took was wild, unknowing that he could've gone another way that would've made it easier. To an outsider, they were battling recklessly, Palpatine losing because he was an old man.

He was an old man. He had the Force, which was not so easy to grasp any longer. He had plenty of hate, but a human using the Dark Side in a place where the Dark Side did not easily hold someone - where the Force as a whole was so interchangeable - against one of the few who could love a Force user without jealousy because he loved her, against one of the few who could hold his own against his _wife._

And in the end, it was Minato to stop him. It was Minato, injured from the cuts that burned. It was Minato, someone who was not Force-sensitive, who had no power.

It was Minato to kill him. It was Minato who drove that lightsaber into Palpatine's heart.

Kushina cried out as Minato stumbled and fell back, catching him as he fell.

He willed himself to stay in the form she loved, and not the form that made her grimace.

But he couldn't help it.

He saw his hand change, and his wife kept looking at him the same. No disgust, only love.

"I love you, Minato," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

And he saw a similar head to his, joining Kushina.

"Naruto," he whispered. "I'm glad you're here."

"Father?" she asked.

"I know you don't want to say it," he said to her. "But can you call me tou-san?"

She hesitated, but nodded. "Of course, tou-san."

He smiled. She loved him.

"I'm sorry, Kushina."

"No, don't be," Kushina wept. "I'll see you again, one day."

Minato smiled. "I know." He trusted her.

He closed his eyes.

~:~

The Council had a Jedi in the Senate. Not controlling it, because they had all had enough of Force-weilding masters.

And when Palpatine's treachery was revealed? The Confederacy was stumped as to what to do (since Obi-Wan killed Greivous on Utapau while everything with Palpatine was all going down), so Satine and the Neutral Systems all became intermediaries. The Confederacy and the Republic were slowly cooperating with each other.

As for Anakin... He was grieving. Taking care of his two Force-sensitive children.

Padme had died in childbirth.

~:~

Obi-Wan walked through the dark cantina, ignoring everyone as they tried to cop a feel. He shoved through, in no mood to go through the game of being polite.

Naruto was taking care of Luke and Leia, Anakin's two twins. She'd explained that Anakin had gone to Padme's elegant funeral, and the japor snippet he'd given her when they first married in place of a ring to keep it secret had been intertwined in her fingers.

Naruto herself hadn't looked all that great, either, but she'd waved off his concern with a tired and _knowing_ smile. Anakin looked like Death warmed over combined with a Givin's corpse, and _that_ was saying something if Naruto knew what a Givin was.

(Despite the Jedi's inclination to recruit all Force-adept children, any Givin children were given back to their people. Most of the children in the creche were terrified of them, and caused a lot of tears and nightmares.)

Obi-Wan saw what he was looking for.

Anakin sat, still in funeral attire, and was acting like Naruto's alcoholic healer, Tsunade - in other words, drinking a _lot._

Obi-Wan hauled him up, despite the younger man's mumbled and tired protests.

"You have two choices. Sober up and take care of the children who need you or stay there and give your sister more worry," he snapped at Anakin. "You're not the only one who lost something. Get that in your thick skull, Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin blinked at him.

"She's gone... Who's gonna help me?" he whimpered.

"I will," Obi-Wan reassured. "I will help you."

Anakin started to sob as Obi-Wan led him out.


	78. Chapter 78

Naruto herself wasn't sleeping well anymore.

Well after Luke and Leia were gone, and the other, adopted children of hers were being watched by Galen and Lyra (who had moved nearby and had offered once it became clear Naruto was a pile of misery right then, and therefore not very good company, and not a good influence on the children) Naruto lay awake at night, contemplating everything that had happened.

Itachi opened her door, surveying her silently, before she patted the bed in clear invitation.

"Can't sleep?" he asked her, his silky voice quiet.

"Can't close my eyes and not see him." Her voice was kind of choked.

"I can make you forget." He played with her hair. "Temporarily or permanently."

She shook her head. "How temporary?"

"I can make you forget for the night, and I can help you in the morning. All we have to do is take one step at a time." He gave a quick kiss to her temple daringly. She sighed.

"Alright."

~:~

"Master!"

Konohamaru darted through the Jedi, nearly tripping over his scarf, then righted himself.

He jumped and hugged his Master.

She smelled of home and sadness.

He looked at her and saw her smile had dimmed.

"Master?"

She smiled at him, this time brighter.

"Hey, Kono!" she ruffled his hair. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, but the war's finally over," he chirped. "And there's so many Jedi! Were they all recalled?"

"Yep," Naruto beamed. " _All_ Jedi have been recalled. The Senate's watched over by a Jedi, but they're Masters and they switch every three months."

"So a new regime? I assume that means the Chancellor's gone?"

He blinked as his Master's smile faltered for a moment.

"He's dead," she admitted finally. "My father killed him."

It took him a minute.

"I'm sorry, Master." His Master's blue eyes met his, and she hugged him.

"It's alright. Padme's dead, too. Died in childbirth."

Konohamaru winced. Master Skywalker must be dealing with that... Taking it hard.

"It's been a rough few months." Naruto smiled at him again, and Konohamaru paused.

"Master, is your hair red?"

Her bangs were the only red part, and the windswept look really did look good on her.

"Yeah." Naruto went quiet as they began walking. "I decided to marry Itachi for real." Konohamaru grinned. "So, I'm planning on broadcasting it on the Holonet and saying 'only the Jedi are invited'. I was wondering if you'd help with that?"

Konohamaru suspected she was basically only doing it to say 'FUCK YOU' to the Masters.

"Sure," he said with a shrug.

~:~

It was a simple ceremony done by, shockingly enough, Master Yoda. Even Yoda had agreed that the ways of the Jedi must change - there were too many sneaking around and having a single 'okay' wasn't good. It wasn't.

Anakin, Itachi, and Naruto all faced the Coruscant sun when all was said and done, Itachi and Naruto as true husband and wife and Anakin without the children.

The suns faded and threw them into sharp relief. Anakin stood in the shadow of the building, Itachi half in shadow and half in light, and Naruto in the light completely. If one was looking close enough, there was a single moment in time that their eyes each became mismatched.

Far away on Alteria, a pale boy sat up and looked at the copy of the painting, the final painting of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Itachi, and Anakin Skywalker.

"It's done," he murmured.

~:~

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

"Children. I can't believe you had _six_ of them," Anakin Kenobi complained to his sister.

"Oh, shut up, Anakin." Uzumaki-Uchiha Naruto grinned at him. "I have like _ten._ Kono is technically my child."

"He was your Padawan. Why did you adopt him?" Anakin frowned.

"Because I believe he's family, his own dad was dead, and he wanted to make sure he was mine. Besides, he's not trying to date Moegi anymore." And that had been a _nightmare._ Living with Moegi and dating her had been a mess for both of them.

Konohamaru still had his scarf, though.

Six children. All of them were reincarnated souls (though Naruto never did tell Boba) that didn't remember their previous lives.

Anakin rolled his eyes, then scowled as he saw something that sparked his jealousy. Possibly the waiter that was flirting with Obi-Wan, who Anakin had finally married six years ago. Similar to Master Tir and Anora; they'd gotten together not long after the old Code was abolished.

"Obi-Wan is flirting with the waitress," Naruto observed. "Hey, who's the guy holding Leia's hand?"

Anakin's scowl deepened.

"Some Corellian brat," he spat. "Named _Han Solo._ Smuggled for the Hutt family a little before it was shut down, met Leia on Tatooine. Leia claims to hate him, but she's going to date him." Anakin scowled even more. "Dammit, Luke's not even into ladies or men yet! How's he going to feel when he's suddenly hit by hormones and Leia's already practically married to a - a _nerfherder_!"

"You're talking to the wrong lady," Naruto said dryly as she looked at her own kids. "Qui-Gon doesn't notice _anyone_ and he and Padme - when she turns fifteen, at least - are the only ones I'm not concerned about dating anyone."

Anakin winced a little.

"Damn, are your kids that bad?"

Naruto sighed. "Let's watch the kids."

The kids were behaving...

...until Jiraiya shoved Padme into the stream. One got in Jiraiya's face.

"Okay, so you've never told me the story behind One. Is his name really 'One'?" asked Anakin.

Naruto went pink.

"No," she admitted, her face flaming red. "His name is Onigiri, but I thought it was stupid and still agreed. We decided to call him 'One' instead. Much later." There was a pause.

"Is he Force-sensitive?"

"Surprisingly, yes. He, Qui-Gon, and Jiraiya have use of the Force. I'm surprised, to be perfectly honest. I'm not sure about Minato yet - you know that some Force-adepts show signs of it when they're adults." Naruto gave a sigh. "Qui-Gon's thinking about joining the Jedi or the army."

Joining the Jedi was an educated choice now. Once a Force-trained (or Force-sensitive) turned sixteen, the age of consent on many planets (and now on Coruscant) they could make the choice. Depending on how well they were trained, they would either be Padawans or Knights upon entry.

Naruto herself had taken quite a few students before the age of consent. She was officially registered owning a training dojo on Alderaan, and on occasion did make her kids go there.

She smiled.

~:~

TWO YEARS LATER -

"Dude, you need to stop getting beaten up." Qui-Gon stared at his youngest sibling with an exasperated look. It worked, too - his abnormal tall height combined with his dark brown, almost black hair, tan skin, and brown eyes made him look very gentle and yet very stern at the same time.

"It's not my fault." Jiraiya stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yes, it is," Jango refuted, rolling his eyes. "You're peeking at the guys. You're only _twelve._ You should still think other people have cooties." Jango grimaced at the word 'cooties'.

"I think he should talk to Mom," Padme said. "Remember, Uncle Anakin married Uncle Obi-Wan."

"Yeah, but this isn't their problem." Jiraiya shook his head. "At least the ladies are nice."

Minato scoffed. "Going to Mom would stop you getting beaten half to death. Even going to the dojo would help you more."

"I'm _fine,"_ the twelve-year-old insisted. "It's just _research."_

"I think you should tell Mom."

The second-oldest adopted child of their mother's, their mother's technical younger brother (or uncle, in terms of Boba actually being a clone of his 'dad'), sounded kind of amused. Their heads whipped around and eyes all lit up as they tackled Boba Fett.

"Boba!" Their chorusing voices in no way sounded like angels, but it was home.

"I'm not telling Mom! She doesn't need to know!" Jiraiya's mutinous voice rose. He scowled a little. "I'm not five, I can handle this on my own!"

"You want to know what I know about your mother?" Boba asked, a light in his eyes.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. Everyone was actually curious - despite having been Naruto's children, they barely knew what type of life she had had before them.

"What?" Jiraiya asked in an undignified snappy voice. He shoved his white hair aside.

"She always knows if your hiding something, and it isn't because she's a Force-sensitive. She's an empath, too."

Minato leaned forward, blue eyes narrow. He looked like their mother the most, with his blonde hair, blue eyes, and their mother's tan.

"She reads emotions?"

"Not on purpose," Boba shook his head. "The hardest thing for your mother to do when someone is hiding something is stand by and watch others get hurt. So she'll wait until it's too hard for her _not_ to interfere, _then_ she'll get involved."

Jiraiya looked down.

Jango snorted. "That's gotta be hard."

He sounded bored, as always. He had almost blue hair, it was so black. His eyes were as calculating as ever. They were dark, darker than their father's.

"It is." Padme bit her lower lip. "I've seen Mama with Jyn - she stopped Jyn from killing herself a week before Jyn planned to."

Jiraiya blinked at his brown-haired, brown-eyed sister.

"Jyn was depressed and desperate," Boba nodded. "Look, guys, all I'm saying is understand that your mother is feeling what your feeling, but unless it's life-threatening she won't interfere." He leveled a serious look at Jiraiya. "You should tell her."

~:~

"- and Itachi is clutching my hand, dead tired, about to pass out on his feet because he's also in pain, and the nurse asked him what he wanted to name One. 'Onigiri,' Itachi says. 'Right, Naruto?' I say -and I'm 'That's a stupid-ass name. Fine.' So, when One was five, he was being teased at school, and he asked me why we named him 'One'. I told him, 'We didn't name you one.' He asked, 'What did you name me?' I told him, 'Well, blame your dad's exhaustion when you were being born, but your name is actually Onigiri. We decided to call you "One" because it was easier.' And Jango says, 'Mama, did you falsify official records?' I told him, 'No.'"

The entire family roared with laughter, Jiraiya included.

He was surprised to see his mother smile faintly at him, and Jiraiya knew she was happy he'd spoken to her.

"Well, I'm off to bed," Jiraiya said to everyone about ten minutes later.

"We're leaving for the dojo at twelve," his mother told him with a patient smile. It was the offer she made every week. Jiraiya usually never took it.

It surprised everyone but Naruto and Itachi when Jiraiya showed up.

They weren't perfect, and Naruto knew they would be leaving this little safe haven they had on Alderaan for parts unknown.

But she knew that they would be fine.

Because she'd known them.

She hugged Itachi impulsively, and those onyx eyes met her cerulean blue.

All was well.

 _There is emotion,_

 _There is peace._

 _There is ignorance,_

 _There is knowledge._

 _There is chaos,_

 _There is harmony._

 _There is death,_

 _And there is the Force._

 _-_ New Jedi Code


End file.
